Vol. 33 No. 52 | SUNDAY | MAY 1, 2022 | 16 Pages | ` 5
Reg. No. MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 46955/1988 M.p.c.s. office Mumbai-400001
EDITIONS: MUMBAI*, Pune, Indore, Bhopal, Konkan, E-paper
KOHLI SLAMS
FIRST FIFTY
OF SEASON
WHAT’S
YOUR
PROB YA?
24x7 power hangs by a thread
Coming out of a prolonged slump in form, Virat Kohli
carved out his first IPL fifty in 14 matches. The former
RCB skipper made 58 off 53 balls before walking back
to the dugout amid a standing ovation
SANJAY JOG
MUMBAI
Peak power demand touched
3,820MW on Friday, may go up to
4,200MW as temperatures soar;
only way to conserve power is to
curb the use of air conditioner
Captaincy
is back in
Dhoni lap
FPJ NEWS SERVICE
MUMBAI
Ravindra Jadeja on Saturday
"relinquished" his captaincy
of Chennai Super Kings and
handed it back to its custodian -- Mahendra Singh Dhoni
-- after the team squandered
six out of its eight matches
in the ongoing edition of Indian Premier League.
Feeling the pressure like
two others of his tribe – Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli –
Jadeja had the luxury of
leaning on his senior who, in
any case, was taking a call in
the field.
But Jadeja did not make
most of the opportunity and
allowed his own form to suffer due to the pressure that
comes with responsibility;
in fact, CONTD. ON NATION PAGE
As temperatures soar, so does the possibility that
Mumbaikars may lose the luxury of 24x7 power
supply. This is in the wake of the rapidly
increasing demand for power and transmission
constraints in evacuation of power from outside.
Mumbai recorded a peak demand of 3,820MW on
Friday, 3,851MW on Thursday, 3,807MW on Wednesday, 3,616MW on Tuesday and 3,633MW on Monday.
Power industry players are of the view that if the
city’s peak demand surges to 4,200MW in the days
to come, then Mumbaikars will have to sweat it out
as continuous power supply cannot be a given.
Tata Power and Adani Electricity have begun
urging consumers to save power and limit the use
of air conditioners.
CONTD. ON NATION PAGE
Rs 7.27cr of actor’s
booty seized by ED
STAFF REPORTER
MUMBAI
The Enforcement Directorate has attached assets
worth
Rs
7.27
crore
belonging to actor Jacqueline Fernandez. The seizure
stems from an investigation
into Rs 200-crore money
laundering case lodged
against alleged conman
Sukesh Chandrashekhar.
The actor’s attached assets
include fixed deposits worth
Rs 7.12 crore and an amount
of Rs 15 lakh that was paid
by Sukesh to a scriptwriter
on behalf of Fernandez as
advance for writing a script
for her web series project.
Fernandez appeared before
the ED in October 2021, when
she was questioned for seven
hours in the investigation
against Sukesh.
TANDOORI D&N
HOTTEST APRIL
FPJ NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI
Northwest and central India
on Saturday recorded the
highest average maximum
temperature in April since
1900.
The two regions experienced the hottest April in 122
years with average maximum
temperature touching 35.9 degrees Celsius and 37.78 degrees Celsius, respectively.
The northwest region had
previously recorded an average maximum temperature
of 35.4 degrees Celsius in
April 2010, while the previous
record for the central region
was 37.75 degrees Celsius in
1973. There is unlikely to be
respite for the region in May,
the weather office said on Saturday. Rather, most parts,
barring those in southern
peninsular India, are likely to
experience warmer nights in
May as well.
The high temperatures in
March and April are being attributed to "continuously
scanty rainfall activity." In
March, northwest India
recorded a deficit in rainfall
of around 89 per cent, while
the deficit was nearly 83 per
cent in April, mainly on account of almost negligible
western disturbances. However, most likely the average
rainfall in May 2022 would be
above normal.
CONTD. ON NATION PAGE
BHAVNA UCHIL
MUMBAI
STAFF REPORTER
MUMBAI
‘Chalisa used as a
weapon by Ranas’
The silver tongue conman
would speak to Fernandez on
the mobile phone from jail,
according to the authorities.
The two, Sukesh had claimed,
were in a relationship.
The ED has alleged that
Sukesh had given the actor Rs
5.71 crore worth gifts from Rs
200 crore he allegedly extorted from the family of Shivinder Singh, former owner of
Ranbaxy who was jailed in
2019 in a money laundering
CONTD. ON NATION PAGE
case.
The threat to recite the
Hanuman Chalisa was used
as a weapon by independent
legislator
couple
MP
Navneet Rana and MLA Ravi
Rana, the prosecution argued before a special
MP/MLA court on Saturday.
The court was hearing the
bail pleas of the couple arrested for their bid to recite
the Hanuman Chalisa before
CM Uddhav Thackeray’s residence Matoshree.
CONTD. ON NATION PAGE
ED raids on
Xiaomi net
`5551.27cr
STAFF REPORTER
MUMBAI
They are passionate and compassionate. And they
openly admit their weaknesses. That’s Gen Z... What
is this hashtag generation wary of? A few youngsters
give FPJ a peek into their minds
Ramana: Mind the
Lakshman Rekha
ONLINE REPORT
NEW DELHI
The Enforcement Directorate
has seized Rs 5,551.27 crore of
the Bengaluru-based Chinese
telecom firm Xiaomi Technology India, under the provisions
of Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). The amount
was seized from four bank accounts of Xiaomi with HSBC,
Citibank, IDBI and Deutsche
Bank.
The ED had initiated an investigation in connection with the
illegal remittances made by the
company in February 2022 to
companies based abroad, in the
guise of royalties. Xiaomi started its operations in India in 2014
and started remitting the
money from 2015. Remittances
made to other two US-based, unrelated entities were also for the
ultimate benefit of entities of
the China-based Xiaomi Group.
CONTD. ON NATION PAGE
Chief Justice of India N V
Ramana on Saturday said
that the Constitution provides for separation of power among the three organs
of the state, and while discharging duty, one should
be mindful of the 'Lakshman Rekha'.
"Constitution
provides
separation of power among
three organs and the harmonious function between
these organs strengthens
democracy. While discharging our duty, we should be
mindful of the Lakshman
Rekha," said the Chief Justice.
He lamented that decisions delivered by courts
are often not implemented
by government for years together leading to contempt
Customs officers intercepted a package with 910gms of
marijuana concealed in an
air purifier originating from
California. Intelligence developed with data analytics
assistance by Indian Customs at the international
courier terminal of CSMI
airport led to the interception of three more parcels.
Intensive search led to the
seizure of high-quality hydroponic marijuana weighing 27.478kgs, which was hidden in various household
items such as an outdoor waterfall, a faux leather chair
and a propane gas fire pit
barbeque. High-quality curated marijuana from North
America commands premiums upward of Rs 3,000 per
gram in upper-class party
circuits.
CONTD. ON NATION PAGE
41-kg high-end weed haul
A major consignment of
high-quality
hydroponic
marijuana imported from
California, US, was seized by
the Airport Special Cargo
Commissionerate, Mumbai.
In all, 41kgs of high-curated
quality weed cookies and
brownies used for recreation
in high-circle party circuits
were seized by Mumbai Customs Zone III from a leading
courier service at the Mumbai Airport Customs Courier
Centre.
of court petitions piling up
in court, reports Bar and
Bench.
Such defiance by the government is overburdening
the court, the CJI opined.
He was speaking at a joint
conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices of
High Courts presided by
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi. The government, the
CJI pointed out, is the
biggest litigant in courts accounting for 56 percent of
the cases.
CONTD. ON NATION PAGE
CBI swoops on
top builders
SOMENDRA SHARMA
MUMBAI
Teams from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) carried out searches at eight locations in Mumbai and Pune at
the premises linked to builders
Shahid Balwa, Vinod Goenka
and
Pune
businessman
Avinash Bhosale on Saturday,
in connection with the Yes
Bank and DHFL fraud case.
“Searches are being carried
out at the premises of builders
Shahid Balwa and Vinod
Goenka and that of Avinash
Bhosale. CONTD. ON NATION PAGE
MUMBAI
Lawyer’s wife in MSRTC workers protest case gets court relief
MAHARERA TURNS 5
Activists flag terms Some
say it has proved to be of great use, others call for changes
MUMBAI: Jayashree Patil, wife of advocate Gunratan Sadavarte who
was arrested in the MSRTC workers protest incident outside NCP chief
Sharad Pawar’s residence on April 8, was granted anticipatory bail by a
sessions court on Saturday. Sadavarte and 115 other MSRTC workers
MUMBAI | SUNDAY | MAY 1, 2022
of ‘water for all’ policy
Want one connection for 5 families; removal of licensed plumber; removal
of condition of existing drain network; and same rate per litre for all
SHEFALI PARAB- PANDIT
Mumbai
The BMC is all set to implement its ‘Water for All’ policy. But the conditions of an
existing drainage system, to
appoint licensed plumbers,
and one connection for a
group of 15 families have
been opposed by slum residents and activists. Such
conditions will only impede
the policy and make it ineffective, asserted activists,
who have asked for one connection for five families instead.
The Free Press Journal had
reported the civic body’s earlier announcement of May 1
as the date for its implementation, but there is still no
clarity on it. Additional municipal commissioner P Velarasu did not comment on
the issue.
Currently,
only
BMCmapped structures are entitled to a water connection.
The policy was framed to
provide connections to all
the unmapped slums. It will
try to improve water availability in areas such as
slums on private or commercial land and illegal establishments that at present
don’t get tap water. However,
several terms and conditions
put out by the BMC have
worried the activists.
Sitaram Shelar, activist
and founder of Pani Haq
Samiti (Right to water campaign), said, “We welcome
this policy but there are 150
slums, 55,000 buildings without occupation certificates
with around 20 lakh residents who don’t have water
connections. Earlier, too, the
BMC had a policy that didn’t
work out due to strict terms.
We have demanded removal
of some of the conditions
like an existing drain network and licensed plumbers.
Also one connection for a
group of five families should
The Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority or
MahaRERA completes five
years today. So far, 35,456
projects—of which 26 per
cent have been completed-were registered with the
agency formed to protect the
interest of homebuyers and
stakeholders in the real estate industry. Adhering to its
primary objective, MahaRERA has disposed of 68 per
cent of 17,598 complaints
filed till now.
Commenting on the MahaRERA’s success, its chairman, Ajoy Mehta, told FPJ
that it has been taking a lot of
game-changing decisions.
"We will now focus on tightening the regulatory oversight. If that gets stronger
the number of litigations
will automatically comes
down. In fact, the pendency
in cases also brought down
The BMC supplies 3,850 million litres of water daily
with formation of a conciliaagainst a demand of 4,250 million litres.
tion forum which is a committee of experts from the
Within a 200-km radius, there are seven lakes to
industry. 50 per cent of cases
provide drinking water to the city.
today are disposed of
%0&KDGÀUVWVDQFWLRQHGWKHSROLF\LQEXWLWGLGQ through conciliation between the buyer and seller."
work out.
While the Builders Association of India, Housing and
1HZSROLF\DLPVWRUHGXFHWKHQXPEHURIXQDXWKRULVH Rera committee chairperwater connections as well as water theft.
son, Anand Gupta, said, "The
agency has instilled confidence among homebuyers
Currently, only BMC-mapped structures are
and improved the image of
the industry. However, giving
entitled to a water connection. The policy was
framed to provide connections to all the
unmapped slums
be given instead of 15.”
In case of standpost connection, junior and sub engineers can do all the calculations; a licensed plumber is
not a technical expert, activists said. They said it will
only be a hurdle while applying for connection. If such
strict conditions are not removed, this policy will not
mean water for all, said licensed plumber Avinash
Kaur, who works for Pani
Haq Samiti; she signs for free
for water connections.
Former opposition leader
of the BMC, Ravi Raja said
this policy has been announced with an eye on the
upcoming civic election. “All
have the right to get water, so
no such strict conditions
should be enforced,” he said.
Vinod Ghopal, the chairman of Fight for Right
Foundation said, water connections are being taken in
groups in slum areas. But in
some slums, tanker mafia is
active and does not allow
residents to take connections. So conditions in this
policy will further make it
difficult for slum residents
to get water.
VOICES
SWEETY ADIMULAM
Mumbai
The pendency in cases
brought down with
formation of a
conciliation forum
which is a committee
of experts from the
industry
more powers to MahaRERA
will further strengthen the
real estate industry. For instance, if approval authorities like BMC, MHADA
among others also come under RERA authority it will
definitely resolve a lot of disputes."
Similarly, Brihanmumbai
Developers Association, an
affiliate of NAREDCO West,
vice president Harrishkumar Jain, asserted that the
MahaRERA has acted as a
catalyst for the kind of momentum seen in the sales
registration across the state.
“Maharashtra is not only
leading in terms of projects
registered but also in providing solutions to aggrieved
homebuyers,"he remarked.
Mumbai-Pune highway:
A road to dream home
AMIT SRIVASTAVA
amit.srivastava@fpj.co.in
In the near future, the Panvel
periphery may become the
spot of many new residential
addresses as real estate experts say that those looking
for affordable housing are
thronging to the planned city
of Navi Mumbai. According
to the developers, numerous
queries are being received
for properties along the old
Mumbai-Pune highway. The
location has become a
favourite place among those
planning to buy their dream
homes around the spot owing
its easy accessibility feature.
With nodes like Vashi and
Nerul having hardly any new
projects for the last few years,
home buyers are now searching properties in developing
nodes like Ulwe, Dronagiri,
Taloja, Karanjade and Pushpak Nagar.
Don’t let harmony, Sharad Pawar, Dy CM counter
brotherhood & unity BJP’s loudspeaker politics
deteriorate: CM
Ajit Pawar says if removed from mosques, loudspeakers can’t be used in temples, too
SANJAY JOG
Sanjay.jog@fpj.co.in
No matter the obstacle or crisis, Maharashtra will continue to progress, said Chief
Minister Uddhav Thackeray
while wishing the people of
the state on the eve of Maharashtra Day. Thackeray said
if anyone is conspiring to
tarnish the state’s image and
discredit it, the self-respecting people will give a befitting reply.
He said this is the third Maharashtra Day after the
Maha Vikas Aghadi government came to power. “For
two years, the country faced
the coronavirus crisis, but
even in this challenging situation, Maharashtra put itself
at the forefront in agriculture, industry and investment,” said the CM, adding
that the state government, in
line with its custom and tradition of helping people in
need, distributed free lunch
under
the
Shivbhojan
scheme and provided financial assistance to weaker sections and the unorganised
class.
“Whether it is health or
good governance, environment or civic development,
concrete steps taken by Maharashtra were appreciated
by India and the world,” he
said, noting that the state’s
warriors laid down their
lives for social reforms. “All
these and many who consider them as role models
strengthened the social fabric of Maharashtra irrespective of caste, creed and
religion. The story of the
great man Dr Babasaheb
Ambedkar, the son of this
land, who drafted the Constitution of India, which is
not just a book but an invaluable gift, that gives
everyone in the country the
right to live with dignity,”
said Thackeray.
Without naming any political party, Thackeray said
that due to selfishness and
political ambitions, the work
of these great personalities
is being tarnished by destroying the harmony between castes and religions in
the state. “Maharashtra is
known for its social harmony, restraint and reasoning.
The progress of a state is not
just about how much investment has been attracted and
how many roads have been
constructed. Maharashtra
has attracted the attention of
the world on basic and sensitive issues like the environment. Modern medical infrastructure is planned keeping
in view the future challenges
of health,” he said.
SANJAY JOG
sanjkay.jog@fpj.co.in
NCP chief Sharad Pawar
and his nephew and state
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit
Pawar, at separate events on
Saturday, lashed out at the
opposition for dividing the
people of the state on communal lines and diverting
their attention from the
current issues such as
hunger, inflation and unemployment.
The Deputy CM alleged
that the politics over use of
loudspeakers
has
been
launched at a time when the
Maha Vikas Aghadi government has initiated a slew of
steps to revive the economy
and restore normalcy after
the pandemic. He called
upon the people to foil efforts
to damage the state’s social
harmony.
Sharad Pawar said, “Will
this help address the current issues such as hunger,
unemployment and inflation? Attempts are being
made to divide people on
communal lines and thereby
achieve political mileage.”
Ajit Pawar in Solapur said
as per the Supreme Court
order, the use of loudspeakers is permitted from 6 am
to 10 pm. “However, these
curbs are relaxed on 15 days
To quench water woes, CIDCO
issues helpline number
AMIT SRIVASTAVA
amit.srivastava@fpj.co.in
In the wake of acute water
shortage
followed
by
protests over the issue, the
City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO)
has issued a helpline number so as to address the citizens’ grievances. If you are
a
resident
of
either
Kharghar or Taloja node
then you can call on
9324950948 not only to convey your water woes but
also to request for water
tankers.
The CIDCO said the contact number has been provided as a part of its initiative to overcome water issues in Kharghar and Taloja. For the past few months,
Taloja, Kharghar, Kalamboli, and Kamothe are facing acute water shortage.
Residents and political parties have staged protests on
many occasions.
“The
citizens
from
Kharghar and Taloja in
south Navi Mumbai are given the highest priority as
various ambitious projects
of CIDCO like the Interna-
tional Airport, Metro, Mass
Housing Scheme, International Corporate Park,
among others are being implemented in these nodes.
The demand for water in the
area is also increasing
against the backdrop of the
growing population,” said a
CIDCO official.
Currently, the smart city
gets water supply from the
CIDCO which has arrangements in this regard with
the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation and Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation.
CP: 84 applications for
loudspeakers from mosques
STAFF REPORTER / Mumbai
The Mumbai police have
received 84 applications
for loudspeakers in
mosques, the Commissioner of Police Sanjay
Pandey said on Saturday.
He was addressing a
meeting on communal
harmony, attended by
the members of Advanced Locality Management (ALM) and mohalla committees across the city.
Pandey said, “There are some issues like traffic should
move smoothly, noise pollution should be controlled,
hawking related issues should be reduced. So, I felt mohalla committees and ALMs should come together and
address these issues.”
Rajkumar Sharma, the president of a Chembur-based
ALM and networking action committee said, “We have
never seen any police or BMC commissioner arranging
such meetings in the last two decades. If the authorities
work along with citizens, the outcome will always be
more fruitful.” This meeting was also attended by former Justice of Bombay High Court, Abhay Tipse, and
Additional Police Commissioner Dilip Sawant.
till midnight in Maharashtra. If loudspeakers will
have to be removed from the
mosques as done in Uttar
Pradesh, then their use during morning rituals, including Kakad Aarti in temples,
like the Sai Baba temple at
Shirdi, will have to be
stopped,” he said, adding
that other rituals in temples
performed with the use of
loudspeakers will also be
stopped.
Considering the number of
pending cases, I set up a
conciliation forum that helped
the buyer and seller to sort
out disputes. It has helped
dispose of 50 per cent cases.
Going forward, we are
tightening the regulatory
oversight. This will bring down
the number of litigations.
Ajoy Mehta, MahaRERA
chairman
RERA ensures transparency and
MahaRERA has been doing
extraordinary work as
compared to other states. Being
a developer I strongly believe
that with good laws coming in,
it is bringing a level playing
field for developers, too.
Gautam Thacker. President,
NAREDCO Neral-Karjat Unit
Initially, MahaRERA really helped
homebuyers; however, now a
lot of cases have piled up and
one of the reasons is Covid-19.
Ideally, the complaints should
be disposed of within 60 days,
which is not happening. To
address this issue, the state
government should fill up the
vacant posts.
Godfrey Pimenta, Advocate
MahaRERA should sharpen its
teeth. Recently, Nagpur
consumer court jailed a
developer for non-compliance
of order. Similarly, MahaRERA
should also take strict action
against defaulters. It was set
up to protect the interest of
homebuyers
had been granted bail by the same court recently. A detailed order is
yet to be available. The prosecution had termed Sadavarte the main
conspirator who had planned the protest to amass money from
workers from whom he had made collections.
–Staff Reporter
Man held for Goregaon
teenager’s murder
he Versova police have
Tarrested
a 22-year-old man in
connection with the murder of a
19-year-old woman whose body,
stuffed in a gunny bag, washed
ashore on Versova beach on
Thursday. The police said the
man, Mohammad Shahzeb
Ansari (23), is a resident of Prem
Nagar in Goregaon West. He is
pursuing a Company Secretary
course, and his father runs a
bakery shop on rent.
The police said they made
enquiries about the friends of
the deceased and zeroed in on
Ansari. On questioning, he
agreed that she stayed in the
neighbourhood and was his
friend. He told the police that
she was threatening to lodge a
police complaint against him.
On the day of the incident (April
25), the woman had visited
Ansari’s residence when he was
alone at home. The police said
both had an argument, following
which the accused strangulated
her using the internet cable. He
then went out and bought a
gunny bag from a nearby shop.
He allegedly tied the woman’s
body and stuffed it inside the bag.
Later, he borrowed a two-wheeler
from his friend and dumped the
body in a creek at Malad.
Senior police inspector Siraj
Inamdar from Versova police
station said, “We have an
eyewitness who saw a man with
a gunny bag on a two-wheeler
near the crime scene.”
On Thursday, the body was found
near Barista Lane on JP Road. It
was decomposed and the limbs
were tied with a cable. After
checking the recent missing
persons complaints, the victim was
identified as a college student from
Goregaon and had been reported
missing by her parents on Tuesday.
She had passed her HSC and was
preparing for NEET exams, the
police said. She had left her
Goregaon home at around 4 pm
on Monday to attend her
coaching classes, but instead
went to a friend’s residence in
the neighbourhood and left from
there at 9 pm. After 11 pm,
however, her phone was
switched off, the police said.
The Aam Aadmi Party on
Saturday announced national
executive member and party
spokesperson Preeti Sharma
Menon as the party’s Mumbai
president. The party will fight
the upcoming BMC elections
under her leadership, by
fielding candidates across all
236 seats.
“This is a welcome
development. She has been our
tallest leader in Mumbai and
has always stood up for what is
right,” said Ruben Mascarenhas,
AAP Mumbai working
president. Menon said AAP is
not just the alternative but the
solution. “Mumbaikars have
long suffered due to
misgovernance and neglect. We
will leave no stone unturned to
bring Arvind Kejriwal’s model of
good governance in the city,”
she said.
–FPJ Political Bureau
Preeti Sharma Menon is AAP city chief
After initial hiccups, Metro
2A&7 generate over Rs 1 cr
Sulaiman Bhimani, Advocate
The agency, managing these lines,
pointed out that it has fixed technical
snags which erupted in the initial runs
SWEETY ADIMULAM
Mumbai
After commencing operations from April 2, the newlybuilt Metro lines 2A and 7
have earned a whopping Rs
1.58 crore revenue in the past
26 days, while the average
ridership hovers around
25,000 per day, stated the
Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Limited
(MMMOCL), which is managing the operation and
maintenance of these metros.
After the inauguration of
this 20-km-long stretch on
Gudi Padwa, the ridership
on these lines dropped significantly, raising worries
over the sustenance of these
modern rails. However, the
senior officials concerned
with these metros had
brushed away the decline, labelling it as no cause of concern, which rings true now.
Speaking to the FPJ, MMMOCL managing director, D
K Sharma, said, "We are running 154 services every day
as per the schedule. Our
punctuality in services is
also now good. The trains are
running on time." He also
pointed out that the technical glitches, including the
platform screen door synchronisation, which arose in
the initial days have been addressed now.
The fare on these lines
ranges between Rs 20 and Rs
40. The commuters travelling for 3 km pay Rs 10
whereas the fares increase in
the band of 3-12km (Rs 20),
12-18km (Rs 30), 18-24km (Rs
40), 24-30km (Rs 50) and 3036km (Rs 60).
Once fully operational,
these metro lines running
from Western Express Highway and Link Road to Dahisar East and DN Nagar to
Dahisar are expected to provide major relief to commuters. Both lines are expected to cater to 11.37 lakh
passengers daily by 2031.
Earlier, MMRDA commissioner, SVR Srinivas, announced that the rest of the
stretch is expected to open to
the public before August 15
of this year.
CR, WR brace for rise
in AC train ridership
the Friday
Following
announcement of Union
minister of state for railways,
Raosaheb Danve, who halved
the fares of AC locals, the
Central and Western Railways
have stated that the revised
fares will come into effect from
May 5 onwards.
The railway expects that the
significant dip in fares will be
exponentially proportional to
the increase in the number of
commuters. To cater to the
expected high footfall, the
Railway Board, chairman and
CEO, V K Tripathi held a
meeting with CR and WR
officials at the CSMT, in which
issues pertaining to AC locals
were also discussed. The
railway authorities are also
looking at publicising weekly
and fortnightly season passes
that are issued solely for AC
local train services.
“Now that fares have been
slashed, we expect more
footfalls inside AC locals. Yes,
the point remains on catering
to the probable rise in
commuters who might switch
over to AC local from normal
trains,” said a rail official.
Full report on
www.freepressjournal.in
3 get life term, 4 acquitted in 2010
Jain temple robbery-murder case
STAFF REPORTER / Mumbai
A sessions court in Dindoshi on Saturday
sentenced three men to life imprisonment
and acquitted four others in a 12-year-old robbery case of a Jain temple in Borivali, in
which a security guard who had tried to prevent the attempt was killed and another was
grievously injured.
The robbery had taken place at 3 am at Borivali’s Chandraprabhu Nandeshwar Deep
Digamvar Jain temple near Bhagwati Hospital. Six panchdhatu idols of Bhagwan Mahavir Jain, 22 silver umbrellas, crowns and
other valuables worth Rs 4.5 lakh were stolen
on August 22, 2010.
Two security guards of the temple – Devi
Singh and Rajesh Joshi – had tried to prevent
the robbery attempt. The robbers had beaten
them with sticks and iron rods. In the attack,
Singh was killed and Joshi was critically injured.
An ambulance driver of the nearby hospital
had seen the gang flee. He had tried to stop
them and they attacked him, too. He later
gave their description to the police. A tip-off
had led to the arrests of three, who had led to
others of the gang. All accused had previous
criminal history in theft and robbery cases.
Those convicted are Harun Shaikh, Ramesh
Patil and Santhosh Bhoir. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on each of them. It acquitted Suresh Gupta, Vinodkumar Yadav,
Vicky Thapa and Mukesh Yadav.
A bird’s-eye view? Join 4th Karnala bird count
FLYING HIGH
AMIT SRIVASTAVA
amit.srivastava@fpj.co.in
Its’ a great news for birdwatchers as the Maharashtra Forest Department and Green Works
Trust (GWT) have jointly
planned the 4th Karnala
Bird Count event to count
the birds at Panvel's Karnala Bird Sanctuary
(KBS). Starting from May
27, the participants can
register themselves for
the three-day event till
May 8.
This is the fourth occasion when common citizens will be involved in
the official bird count ac-
Ten Rare Birds spotted during previous survey
Alpine Swift
Indian Scops Owl
Indian Eagle Owl
Indian Pitta
Common Hawk
Cuckoo
tivity, GWT founder and
wildlife expert Nikhil
Bhopale stated, while underlining that this is a scientific bird count not a
photography expedition or
leisure tour.
Describing the upcoming
event as a “very unique
Peregrine Falcon
Ashy Minivet
Three-toed
kingfisher
Malabar Trogon
Hawk Cuckoo
experience of working
with bird experts”,
Bhopale said the bird
sanctuary is located
around 10 km from Panvel
in Raigad district, where
171 different species of
birds have been spotted in
three previous counts.
It all started in December, 2020, when a total of
27 citizens and birdwatchers initially spotted 103
bird species during two
days' activity; the first
ever official bird count at
KBS.
Back then, new bird
species spotted were
Alpine Swift, Indian Scops
Owl, Indian Eagle Owl,
Indian Pitta, Common
Hawk Cuckoo and Peregrine Falcon feeding on
Parakeet.
According to Bhopale,
the objective of including
common citizens and bird
lovers is to sensitise them
about the importance of
biodiversity.
“The event has been conceptualised by the GWT in
association with the MFD.
It has a two-fold benefit—
scientific study of birds
along with citizens’
awareness,” he added.
Normally, the survey is
conducted using two types
of bird count sampling
methods viz line Transect
and point Counts.
“The 9 line transects and
5-point counts are done to
cover the sanctuary area
of 12.48 sq km. This count
is aimed to document bird
population and avifaunal
diversity of the sanctuary,” he explained.
STAY AHEAD WITH THE TOP FIVE NEWS OF
THE DAY. CLICK ON THE FPJ NEWS BULLETIN
TO GET THE LATEST BIG STORIES AT 7:30 PM.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE FPJ NEWS BULLETIN.
21 heatstroke deaths since March
‘
‘
State health officials warn of a rise in cases in the coming months; urge people to
stay hydrated, wear light cotton and loose clothing, and consume high protein diet
SWAPNIL MISHRA
swapnil.mishra@fpj.co.in
Maharashtra has reported 21
heatstroke deaths in various
districts since March this
year; this is the highest in the
past five years, said state surveillance officer Dr Pradip
Awate. In 2016, 19 deaths were
reported due to heatstroke.
Of the total deaths in Maharashtra, seven were reported
from Nagpur, followed by Jalgaon (four), Akola (three), Jalna (two), Amravati, Aurangabad, Hingoli, Osmanabad and Parbhani (one each).
Moreover, 338 heatstroke
cases have been reported in
the last two months, of which
the highest number was reported from Nagpur (262), followed by Akola (29), Pune
(21), Nashik (14), Aurangabad (10), and Latur and
Kolhapur (one each).
State health officials said
they are expecting a rise in
cases in the coming months
and alerts and advisories
have already been sent out.
Officials said they have also
urged people to take precautions to prevent adverse effects of heatwave by staying
hydrated, wearing light cotton and loose clothing, and
consuming high protein food.
A yellow and orange alert has
been issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD)
HEATSTROKE DEATHS SINCE MARCH 21
7
4
3
2
Nagpur
Jalgaon
Akola
Jalna
Amravati,
Aurangabad,
Hingoli, Osmanabad
and Parbhani
(1 each)
Heatstroke
cases
Maximum in…
Nagpur
338
262
and the state health department for various parts across
the state, including Vidarbha
and Madhya Maharashtra.
Heatstroke is a form of hyperthermia, with abnormally
elevated body temperature accompanied with physical
symptoms, including changes
in the functioning of the nervous system. Unlike heat
cramps and exhaustion, heatstroke is a medical emergency
that can prove fatal if not properly and promptly treated.
Health experts suggest people should avoid going out in
the afternoon and look out for
YELLOW AND ORANGE ALERT
VIDARBHA AND MADHYA MAHARASHTRA
symptoms such as dizziness,
nausea, heartburn, muscle
cramps and fatigue. These
could lead to heatstroke, exhaustion, severe dehydration
and acute cerebrovascular accidents (stroke).
Chief intensivist at Fortis
Hospital, Dr Sandeep Patil
said a human body sweats to
reduce core temperature in a
normal situation. Heatstroke
occurs when a person’s body
temperature rises to 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees
Celsius) or higher.
He said while heat exhaustion is preventable and rarely
life-threatening, untreated
heatstroke can quickly damage the brain, heart, kidneys,
and muscles. “It worsens
when treatment is delayed, increasing the risk of serious
complications or death. It’s
important to seek immediate
medical care, especially if the
situation does not improve
within an hour,” he said.
A specialist in emergency
medicine at PD Hinduja Hospital & Research Centre, Dr
Kishore Sathe said that not
drinking enough water each
day increases the risk of heatstroke. In humid climates, de-
Mumbai’s Covid see-saw continues
CASES REPORTED ON APRIL 30
MUMBAI
Cases
Deaths
Recovered
Total cases
Total deaths
Total recovered
94
10,59,822
01
71
19,563
10,39,650
OVERALL
VACCINATED
TILL DATE
Total
20883059
1st dose
10746453
MAHARASHTRA
Cases
Deaths
Recovered
Total cases
Total deaths
Total recovered
155
01
135
2nd dose
9582828
Precautionary dose
78,77,732 1,47,843 77,28,891
553778
Pic: Bhushan Koyande
VACCINATED ON APRIL 30
Total
vaccinated
Civic
centres
State
centres
Private
centres
SWAPNIL MISHRA
swapnil.mishra@fpj.co.in
As Mumbai continued to
record slow yet steady surge in
the weekly Covid-19 cases in
the fourth week of April, the
health officials have once again
stressed upon the mantra of
ramping up testing, tracing
and vaccination for maintaining the hardly achieved grip on
the pandemic.
According to the official
data, Mumbai recorded 549
cases between April 20 and
April 26. While the same figure stood at 390 cases between April 13 and April 19,
which means a surge of 40.77
per cent in a week.
Similarly, Maharashtra has
also witnessed a surge of
44.63 per cent in cases during
the same period. Meanwhile,
active cases have also risen to
42 per cent in the city in the
last 15 days, but only 27 patients are admitted to the
hospitals and only three patients are on ventilators.
Speaking on the increasing
Covid statistics, BMC additional commissioner,
Suresh Kakani, underscored that the present surge
is not so worrisome as the
city is witnessing increase
and decrease in cases every
alternate day. Most important thing is there is no hospitalisation of patients and
over 98 per cent are asymptomatic, he added.
Mentioning that the civic
body is keeping a close watch
on the travellers coming from
the cities or state having more
cases, he further said, “In the
last week, the test positivity
rate was above one per cent but
it has again come down, which
is a good sign. Moreover, the
weekly growth rate is also not
more than 0.07 per cent, but we
need to be on toes so that we
don't see any further rise.”
State health departments have
come up with the action points
drafted by the state government which have been circulated to all the districts.
WHAT DOCS SAY
While heat exhaustion is
preventable and rarely lifethreatening, untreated
heatstroke can quickly
damage the brain, heart,
kidneys, and muscles. It’s
important to seek immediate
medical care, especially if the
situation does not improve
within an hour.
–Dr Sandeep Patil, chief
intensivist, Fortis Hospital
Not drinking enough
water increases the risk.
In humid climates,
dehydration can occur in
any age group if water intake
is not optimal. This year,
typically since March, we
have been seeing three to
four patients everyday with
kidney stones. There is a 2030 per cent rise in such
patients as compared to last
year.
Dr Kishore Sathe, specialist,
emergency medicine at PD
Hinduja Hospital & Research
Centre
hydration can occur in any
age group if water intake is
not optimal. This year, typically since March, we have
been seeing three to four patients everyday with kidney
stones. There is a 20-30 per
cent rise in such patients
compared to last year.”
ACTION PLAN
8 Double Covid-19 testing
8Improve ILI and SARI
surveillance
8Ramping up oxygen plants’
infra
8If cases are found in a
cluster, send samples for
genomic sequencing
8If pandemic surges, have a
fallback plan for non-Covid
services
8Make funds available for
filling gaps found in
electric/fire audit of hospitals
MUMBAI
Chira Bazaar buildings go
without power for 10 hrs
MUMBAI | SUNDAY | MAY 1, 2022
BEST says cable fault; some residents go without power even after rectification
SHASHANK RAO
shashank.rao@fpj.co.in
On Saturday, a few buildings in the Chira Bazaar
area of south Mumbai faced
a major power disruption
owing to a cable fault. The
residents claimed that there
was no electricity from 10
am to 8 pm.
Espy Alphonso, a resident
of one of the buildings in
the area said, “No one responded despite repeated
calls on the helpline number. Finally, we had to personally go and complain, after which the supply was
rectified.”
The families in the building were without electricity
for almost 10 hours, and
with every passing hour
they struggled as the batteries of their mobile phones
drained while making calls
to the BEST.
A resident of Bhuleshwar,
D Vyas said they have been
facing power failures for the
past three days and the
BEST keeps attributing it to
cable faults.
Meanwhile, the authorities
claimed their engineers
reached the site to rectify
the fault, which was done
within a few hours. The residents, however, refuted the
claims saying that the blackout continued in a couple of
buildings even after that.
The Free Press Journal
has earlier reported about
the BEST’s long-term plan of
replacing 1,000-km power
supply cables at a cost of Rs
3,500 crore. They will also
carry out other upgrades in
the system.
The power cables are 70-80
years old and have become
worn out. The ongoing
works on Metro rail are also
causing damage to these underground cable lines.
Fishermen facing ice shortage
SURESH GOLANI
suresh.golani@fpj.co.in
Although the twin-city of MiraBhayandar has so far been free
from power cuts, the fishing
community from the coastal
areas of Uttan is facing a tough
time due to an acute shortage of
ice amidst load shedding in
other districts.
The quaint fishing villages,
including Uttan, Pali and Chowk,
are home to around 750 fishing
boats. Each of these traditional
and mechanised boats needs at
least three tonnes of ice
depending upon the quantity of
catch and days spent on voyage.
There is one ice manufacturing
unit in Uttan, but it can cater to
only 25 per cent of the current
demand. The rest is sourced from
other manufacturing units located
in Taloja, Kaman, Vashi and other
parts of Thane, Palghar and
Raigad districts. However, these
areas are facing power
interruptions leading to a shortfall
in ice production. Apart from
Uttan, other nearby coastal areas,
including Manori, Gorai and Vasai,
are facing a similar situation.
Local municipal corporator
Sharmila Bagaji said, “Ice is a
very crucial ingredient to
preserve fish during the voyage
and its shortage is taking a
heavy toll on the fishing
Location of
ice unit
UTTAN
Caters to…
25%
of the current
demand
Time for iceblock formation
36-48 HRS
Time, owing
to power cuts
DOUBLES
OR EVEN
TRIPLE
Other sources
Taloja, Kaman, Vashi and other parts
of Thane, Palghar and Raigad districts
business. The government
should tackle the power crisis
and also make arrangements to
ensure regular supply of ice for
the fishing community which is
also reeling under a crisis.”
The fisherfolk are already
worried that the shortage will
push up the prices of fish owing
to a significant rise in logistical
expenses. This at a time when
the catch is much better this
year due to the existing weather
Ice crisis elsewhere
Manori, Gorai and Vasai
conditions.
Usually it takes around 36-48
hours for the formation of ice
blocks in the conventionally
manufactured plants. However,
due to frequent power
interruptions, the process time
doubles or even triples up
leading to an acute shortage.
Not only does ice affect
fishermen, the quality of ice also
takes a hit due to the power
cuts, said a fisherman.
‘Self-belief, dedication & team effort helped tackle the pandemic’
16,585
8903
1105
6577
and how to make use of it and how the
system should be channelled. It became
easier after rounds of discussion with
the team, but still tremendous efforts
were required.
Additional municipal commissioner
(health) Suresh Kakani joined the BMC
just before the pandemic struck; on his
retirement after the third wave has
waned, he enumerates the challenges
and successes
SWAPNIL MISHRA
swapnil.mishra@fpj.co.in
Handling infrastructure development for years,
Suresh Kakani had no experience in the medical
field when he joined as the additional municipal
commissioner in the BMC in January 2020, just
before the Covid-19 pandemic struck. Thrown into
the thick of things, he used his experience and
insights from his previous assignments in disaster
management to help pull the city through dark
times. He said he utilised his skills and knowledge
from his 2015-17 stint in Nanded, which fought a
massive flood right after emerging from a drought.
Born and raised in Vidarbha, Kakani was a rank
holder in MPSC. Before joining as the chairman of
the Maharashtra Airport Development Company
Ltd, he served as municipal commissioner of the
Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation, and then as
CEO of Solapur and collector of Nanded.
What challenges did you have in
bringing all the stakeholders under
one roof?
There were instructions from the Indian
Council of Medical Research that people
older than 55 should stay away from
the infected cases but most senior and
specialist doctors were over 55 years of
age. But I saw that we could involve
them by asking them to discuss the
treatment protocol, critical patients, and
to come out with innovative ideas.
How did the scenario change?
Even though the resources were there,
initially no one was aware of the
number of cases, how the infection
spread, the treatment protocol, and the
drugs required. Then the focus was on
ICU beds and ventilators, which were
not required initially. It only came up
later than people were succumbing as
the infection was spreading to the lungs.
With this, X-ray and CT scans started all
over the country. We procured 12 mobile
X-ray systems to visit slum areas. Due to
the lack of radiologists, we incorporated
in our system an IT agency through
which artificial intelligence could be used
to read X-rays.
How did you strike a work-life balance?
How did your family support you?
I had a positive approach toward
everything which helped me sustain in
the long run. I always believed that work
should be done with full dedication and
self-belief so it does not affect mental
health. I kept all the negativity away.
After my work hours, I did yoga and
followed a proper diet. For the family, it
was a little scary in the beginning, But
they gradually got used to it.
For full interview, visit
www.freepressjournal.in
You have seen the peak of the pandemic and
endemic stages of Covid-19 in your tenure…
It was a challenging position, but I believe that every
disaster throws up opportunities for upgradation,
improvement and management of the system. We
could integrate all the health sectors and focus on
key areas like strengthening the primary sector, and
upgrading the secondary sector by providing good
healthcare facilities so that more manpower can be
available and more surgeries can be performed.
Was it difficult being a non-medico person?
One requires a certain time to adjust and
understand all the work, but the pandemic did not
give me time to settle in. I had an outline in mind
DGIPR 2022-23/320
ESTD
THE
1928
To get the Free PDF copy of FPJ
on Whatsapp daily,
click here and join
our official Whatsapp Group.
POWER CUTS COMPOUND WOES
NATION
he Indo-Russian joint venture Kudanku12 coaches of coal-laden goods train derail in UP’s Etawah Tlam
Nuclear Power Project in Tamil Na-
ETAWAH: As many as 12 coaches of a coal-laden goods train derailed
near new Ekdil railway station in UP’s Etawah on Saturday afternoon.
The derailment affected the movement of trains. The accident led to the
scattering of coal on the tracks, due to which many tracks were broken.
Railway and police officials reached the spot and started clearing the
debris. No casualty was reported. Additional SP Rural Satpal Singh said
the coal-laden goods train was going from Kanpur to Ghaziabad via
Etawah. A police force was deployed at the spot to maintain security.
du achieved a significant milestone as the
Reactor Pressure Vessel considered as the
heart of the reactor was positioned at its
designated place in the third unit of KKNPP.
Battling blazing sun, people pay price of poll promises, cry out for early resolution
ANI / New Delhi
Power outages amid scorching heat have
made people’s lives miserable in several
states. A wheat businessman from Uttar
Pradesh’s Kanpur complained about power
cuts in the city and said it is leading to financial losses. “We have a wheat chakki
(grinder). There are frequent power cuts because of which our electricity bill rises.
When we restart our machine after the power
is back, the meter reading increases. The frequent power cuts have caused us losses. The
government should announce the timings of
the power cuts. We are small businessmen.
This problem causes us a lot of problems,” a
local businessman told ANI.
“There are untimely and frequent power
cuts. It is causing small shopkeepers a lot of
problems,” another shopkeeper said.
Another resident said there is a water problem because of the power cuts. “We are facing
a lot of problems because of the power cuts.
There is a water problem because of power
cuts. The children face problems. Summer is
at its peak, but there are frequent power
cuts,” he said.
An office-goer person narrated his plight
and said that he faces problems in taking a
peaceful sleep at night due to power cuts after
hard work during the day. “There are a lot of
problems. We do our duty and when we come
to fill water here, there is no electricity. We
don’t get sleep at night at all. We are asked to
pay the full bill, but full electricity is not provided,” he said.
Residents of Jharkhand’s Ranchi also are
suffering due to frequent power cuts.
Detailing her problems, homemaker Pushpa Sinha said they sit on the terrace at night
to find some relief from the warm weather as
there are power cuts. “There are a lot of power cuts. It is causing a lot of problems for
women. The food items in the refrigerator are
getting spoiled. Children are facing problems
A labourer takes a break from work at a railway
yard on a hot Saturday in Amritsar.
—AFP
because of the cuts. There are water problems as well. At times, we sit on the terrace at
night to feel better, but even the floor of the
terrace is warm because of the heat throughout the day,” she said.
Ashok Chourasia, a local resident said that
the government promised zero power cuts,
however, they are facing 100 per cent power
cuts. “The government said there will be zero
power cut, but this is a 100 per cent power cut.
We have gone back to the days when there
was no electricity in our houses. Due to frequent power cuts, there is no water. It has become difficult to survive in this scorching
heat without power supply," he said.
Punjab, where the Aam Aadmi Party recently came to power with a thumping majority promising free electricity to the residents, is also facing power cuts. The residents
showed discontent with the government and
urged to provide electricity. “The Bhagwant
Mann government had promised 24-hour
electricity. I saw Kejriwal’s statement in
which he said 24-hour electricity will be given after four years. If they had no roadmap,
why did they fool the people of Punjab? There
are power cuts for up to 9 hours. I request the
government to give us only electricity. Don’t
make Punjab Delhi. Let Punjab be Punjab.”
Abundant coal, large rail network, unutilised
capacity in thermal plants. Yet, there is acute
power shortage. Modi government cannot be
blamed. It is because of 60 years of Congress rule!
There is no incompetence in the Ministries of Coal,
Railway or Power. The blame lies with past Congress
ministers of the said departments! The government
has found the perfect solution: cancel passenger trains
and run coal rakes! Modi hai, mumkin hai.
—P CHIDAMBARAM, Congress leader
WMO: PREMATURE TO ATTRIBUTE
EXTREME HEATWAVE IN INDIA,
PAK SOLELY TO CLIMATE CHANGE
NEW DELHI: After multiple scientists claimed the current
spell of heatwaves in India and
Pakistan are due to climate
change, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said
it would be premature to
attribute it solely to climate
change. The WMO also
appreciated warning systems
and heat action plans that
helped save lives.
In a statement, the WMO
said: “It is premature to attribute the extreme heat in India
and Pakistan solely to climate
change. However, it is consistent with what we expect in a
changing climate. Heatwaves
are more frequent and more
intense and now start earlier
than it did in the past.
“India, especially the
northwest, has been witnessing
a third heatwave since March
with the current, third spell
sending mercury soaring to
more than 45°C across dozens of
states of India, including the
northwestern Himalayan states
too. Similar temperatures have
been seen in Pakistan. The
Pakistan Meteorological Department said daytime temperatures
are likely to be between 5°C and
8°C above normal in large
swathes of the country.
The agency warned in the
mountainous regions of GilgitBaltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkwa, the unusual heat would
enhance the melting of snow
and ice and might trigger glacial lake outburst floods or flash
floods in vulnerable areas. “Air
quality has deteriorated, and
large swathes of land are at
risk of extreme fire danger.”
Cannot work during the day due to frequent, unscheduled power cuts; then, don’t get sleep
at night. Businesses hurt, no water, may become insomniac and develop health problems.
SPEED NEWS
Akin to RSS, AAP to launch
‘tiranga shakhas’ in UP
LUCKNOW: To counter the BJP’s “politics of
hatred”, the Aam Aadmi Party will float ‘tiranga
shakhas’ in Uttar Pradesh on the lines of the
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the party's
state in-charge Sanjay Singh said on Saturday. The
AAP intends to open 10,000 ‘tiranga shakhas’ in
the next six months to educate the people of Uttar
Pradesh about the saffron party’s “divide and
rule” policy, the Rajya Sabha MP said.
Arjun Singh to meet
Goyal in Delhi
FPJ CORRESPONDENT / KOLKATA: A day after BJP
MP Arjun Singh wrote a letter to four CMs
including Mamata Banerjee over the jute mill crisis,
the PMO on an urgent basis called Singh to Delhi.
Singh was likely to hold a meeting with Union
Textile Minister Piyush Goyal in the late evening. “I
am hopeful the meeting with Goyal will be fruitful.
I have taken a big stand and I will stick to this issue
and the people who are becoming unemployed
due to closure of jute mills. I will go for bigger
agitation in future and will decide after the
meeting,” said Singh before leaving for Delhi.
CBI: Arrested TMC leader
tampered with rape evidence
KOLKATA: A day after CBI arrested Trinamool
panchayat leader Samarendra Gayali and his
friend Pijush Bhakta over the Hanskhali rape
incident, the agency on Saturday said Gayali
played a key role in ‘suppressing’ facts about the
incident where a 14-year-old girl was raped and
killed on April 4. Sources said the TMC leader
had allegedly threatened the victim’s family.
Dantewada anganwadi children
play with live bombs; none hurt
AVDHESH MALLICK
Raipur
In the Maoist stronghold of
Dantewada district in Chhattisgarh, a few anganwadi
children had a narrow escape on Friday — despite
playing with four parabombs.
Thanks to the alertness exhibited by the anganwadi
workers and villagers, no untoward incident was reported. But, the alleged unprofessional and irresponsible begaviour of the security
forces irked the locals and
the activists alike.
Activist Bela Bhatia, who
visited the spot, tweeted,
“How vulnerable are children in Bastar! This ammunition — said to be live — was
found in the fields by anganwadi children of Chuditekda-Majhi Padar (on the outskirts of Dantewada town)”.
Speaking to FPJ over the
phone, Bhatia demanded
stringent action against the
careless officers. Moreover, a
resident of Chuditekda-Majhi Padar said, a few anganwadi children who had visited the nearby Dankini river
for bath returned with the
bombs and started playing
with them.
As the incident was unusual, villagers and anganwadi
workers immediately in-
ITANAGAR: Union minister Nisith Pramanik on
Saturday said the migration of people from border
areas in search of better facilities will be
minimised in the next two years with the effective
implementation of a new Central scheme.
Pramanik was speaking to journalists after a
programme in which Arunachal Home minister
Bamang Felix sought the Centre's intervention for
the infrastructural and economic development of
border areas of the north-eastern state.
General Manoj Pande takes over as the 29th Chief
of Defence Staff (COAS) of Indian Army from General MM Naravane. Gen Pande, who was serving
as the vice chief, became the first officer from the
Corps of Engineers to helm the force.
—PTI
Half a dozen governor
posts to fall vacant in Oct
OUR BUREAU / New Delhi
Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama poses for a picture during his visit to the Taj. —AFP
Mamata at Justice Conclave
ARITRA SINGHA / Kolkata
Govt scheme to minimise people’s
migration from border areas
Gorakhnath temple accused had sworn allegiance
to ISIS, wanted to commit big act: UP police
Lucknow: Ahmad Murtaza Abbasi, an IIT graduate
arrested for attacking security men at the famous
Gorakhnath temple earlier this month, was
following the ISIS ideology and wanted to
“commit a big act”, the UP police said on
Saturday. Abbasi had sworn allegiance to terror
organisation Ansar-ul-Tauheed in 2013 which
merged with the ISIS in 2014, they said, adding
he took oath for the ISIS in 2020.
formed the police. Soon, a
team of Bomb Detection and
Disposal Squad reached the
spot and diffused the bombs,
said another villager.
The Dantewada SP, Siddarth Tiwari, said, a probe
was ordered and appropriate
action would be taken. He appealed to the villagers to
keep safe distance from
unidentified objects and immediately inform the police.
Immediately after completion of the elections
of the President and the Vice-President of India, the government has to work on appointment of the governors of half a dozen states,
five of which are from the Northeast.
The governors completing their term are
from Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal, Sikkim
and Andaman & Nicobar while Assam governor Jagdish Mukhi, holding the additional
charge of Nagaland, is retiring in October.
Names in circulation to fill the governors’
posts include former Karnataka CM BSY Yeddiurappa as also former Himachal CM Prem
Kumar Dhumal and Bihar leader CP Thakur.
Two governors, whose 5-year term has already ended, continue their second term are
Punjab govrenor Banwarilal Purohit and Gujarat’s Acharya Devvrat. Delhi’s Lieutenant
Governor Anil Baijal, an ex-bureaucrat, is
also having the second term.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee
spoke about the vacancies of judges in the
Calcutta High Court and the new HC building in
New Town in the Justice Conclave in Delhi.
According to sources, Mamata said the state
government has allotted 10 acres of land to set
up a new complex of the Calcutta High Court in
the New Town area near Kolkata.
“The connectivity of Kolkata has developed
during the TMC regime and reaching New Town
from the Calcutta High Court is a matter of some
minutes. The state government has given 10
acres for the new complex so it should be set up.
There are several vacancies of judges and those
should be filled immediately,” said the sources
quoting Mamata. The CM was supposed to
return to Kolkata on Saturday evening but
postponed her return till Sunday.
According to sources, Mamata had an informal
meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi
separately over tea at the conclave and
discussed several ‘important’ issues about Bengal
with Modi. Meanwhile, resolutions over several
proposals given by the PM have not been passed
after opposition CMs opposed the proposals.
PM stresses use of local
languages in judiciary
MUMBAI | SUNDAY | MAY 1, 2022
OUR BUREAU
New Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi on Saturday stressed
on use of local languages in
the higher judiciary to increase the confidence of
common citizens in the justice delivery system that received an endorsement from
Chief Justice of India N V
Ramana as part of the Indianisation of the judiciary.
While the Prime Minister
called for connecting the justice system to the people and
in the language understood
by them to be able to distinguish between executive orders or judicial pronouncements, the CJI said he was receiving many representations for introducing local
languages in the high courts
and the time has come now,
to review the demand and
take it to logical conclusion.
The practice of law before
constitutional courts should
be based on one’s intelligence
and understanding of law,
and not mere proficiency in
language, he said in this regard at a day-long joint conference of the chief ministers and HC chief justices at
the Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi.
CJI Ramana said ambiguities in legislation also add to
existing legal issues. “If the
legislature passes a law, with
clarity of thought, foresight
and with people’s welfare in
mind, the scope for litigation
gets minimized,” he said.
“We need to encourage local languages in courts. This
will not only increase the
FIRs filed against me
in blatant disregard
for rule of law: Mevani
GUWAHATI: Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani, who has
returned to Gujarat having completed all legal
formalities, claimed on Saturday “false cases” were
filed against him in the northeastern state, the land of
revered Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankardeva. In a
press conference, Mevani said his arrest was nothing
short of a message by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
the BJP, the RSS and the Assam government to the
people of the state, warning them of action for dissent. “The FIRs were filed in blatant disregard of rule of
law. It is an insult meted out to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Constitution. If an MLA from another state could
be arrested by the Assam Police, any dissenter in the
northeastern state could be easily crushed,” he said.
100% contract placed on Guj side
of bullet train project: Vaishnaw
NEW DELHI: All civil and track work contracts for
the 352-km stretch of the bullet train project on the
Gujarat side have now been awarded, with Rs3,141crore worth track contract being given to infra giant
L&T, minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday.
The 508-km bullet train project between Mumbai
and Ahmedabad has hit a roadblock in Maharashtra
due to land acquisition issues, but work has already
started on the Gujarat side of the project.
Soldier killed, 2 hurt in mishap
SRINAGAR: A soldier was killed and two others
were injured on Saturday in a road accident in
Kashmir’s Ganderbal, police said. “The vehicle, part
of an army convoy, turned turtle near Masjid Morh
in Sumbal Bala. The soldier came under the ill-fated
vehicle which killed him on the spot,” they said.
Minister talks of wider consultation
OUR BUREAU / NEW DELHI: Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said the
PM’s suggestion that courts should encourage local languages “requires
wider consultation with judiciary”. In a joint press conference with CJI
Ramana after the conference, Rijiju said: “The matter came into discussion
in many stages. But we’re positive about encouraging use of local
languages in judiciary...Nothing is stopping us from doing it. It’s a process
which requires wider consultation with judiciary. Use of languages in the
court, not only the language for argument but for the order requires
approval of the CJI. That is why it needs a wider consultation.”
confidence of common citizens in the justice system but
they will feel more connected
to it,” PM Modi said, addressing the joint conference of
chief ministers and chief
justices of high courts here.
Referring to the central government’s drive to repeal
archaic and obsolete laws,
PM Modi said in 2015 they
had identified 1,800 such
laws, of which the Centre
has repealed 1,450 laws
falling under its domain and
of the laws to be repealed by
the states only 75 have been
scrapped.
The PM appealed to the
chief ministers to repeal outdated laws to make delivery
of justice easier. “In 2015, we
identified about 1,800 laws
which had become irrelevant. Of these, 1,450 such
Normalcy returns to
Patiala after Fri clash
3 cops shifted; internet services restored
RAJESH MOUDGIL
Chandigarh
The Punjab government restored the internet services
in Patiala on Saturday
evening after the situation
improved that remained
tense post the Friday clash
between the Shiv Sena members and the supporters of
Khalistan over an anti-Khalistan march by the former,
leaving four persons hurt.
The administration had to
clamp the curfew from Friday evening till 6 am Saturday and suspended mobile
internet and SMS services
from 9.30 am to 6 pm. However, the home department reviewed its order and restored
the services after 4 pm instead of 6 pm.
Meanwhile, most shops in
Patiala remained shut on the
“bandh’’ call by Hindu groups even as they also called
off a protest rally against
Friday’s violence after police
assured of apprehending the
accused within 48 hours.
Meanwhile, Harish Singla,
an accused of instigating vi-
MORE CONFUSION OVER
BABUL’S ASSEMBLY OATH
ARITRA SINGHA / KOLKATA: Days after
West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar
refused to pass the file over Trinamool
Congress legislator Babul Supriyo’s oath in
the Assembly, Dhankhar on Saturday
appointed Deputy Speaker Ashish Banerjee
to administer the oath of the newlyinducted TMC MLA.
Though Babul said he would have been
happy if Speaker Biman Bandhopadhyay
had administered the oath to him, on the
other hand, Deputy Speaker Ashish
Banerjee declined to administer the oath to
the singer-turned-politician.
“There is a speaker in the assembly and
is readily available. In his absence, I will
not administer the oath to the new MLA. If
I get any notice I will give it in writing to
the governor I will not administer the oath
laws of the Centre were abolished. But, only 75 such laws
have been abolished by the
states,” he said.
PM Modi said as India celebrates the 75th anniversary
of
Independence, focus
should be on creation of a judicial system that fulfils the
expectation of people, where
justice is easily available, is
quick and for everyone, when
we celebrate 100 years of independence in 2047.
The PM spoke about nearly
3.5 lakh undertrials, mostly
from weaker sections, or average family backgrounds
languishing in jails. Referring to district committees
headed by district judges that
reviews such cases, the PM
urged the CMs and HC
judges to look into these cases on humanitarian grounds.
olence in Patiala, who was arrested on Friday was sent to
police remand for two days.
Of the total 25 accused in
the case, Daljeet Singh and
Kuldeep Singh were also arrested, the CMO said.
Meanwhile, chief minister
Bhagwant Mann had transferred on Friday the IGP, SSP
and SP of Patiala with immediate effect replacing them
with Mukhwinder Singh
Chinna (IG), Deepak Parik
(SSP) and Wazir Singh (SP).
Slamming the government,
Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma held the incident exposed the utter failure
of the state police and intelligence agencies as the Shiv
Sena members had been
protesting against the call
given by banned “Sikhs for
Justice’’ organisation convener Gurpatwant Pannu to
mark the foundation day of
Khalistan on April 29.
Congress leader Partap
Singh Bajwa also came down
heavily on the ruling government and CM Mann, calling
the incident as “complete anarchy in the state”.
Maoists’ posters
fake: Police
FPJ CORRESPONDENT
Kolkata
to Babul,” said the Deputy Speaker.
The West Bengal police on
Taking to Twitter, Babul said, “Thank you
Saturday said the posters by the
sir. But with all gratefulness and respect
alleged Maoists are fake in the
you know I have for you for your kind
Junglemahal area and these are
gesture in an unsavoury 'situation'. I
being circulated to create
confess with utter humility (and due
unnecessary
respect to hon'ble dy
speaker) that I am sad
WEST BENGAL DIARY tension.
According to a
that I have been denied
police official, eight people were
my pleasure to take the oath from hon'ble
speaker sir.” Notably, The Article 188 of the arrested in two such cases.
“Junglemahal is peaceful and
Constitution states the oath is
everyone is happy. By the help
administered either by the governor or the
of people we will maintain
person appointed by the governor. In this
peace in the area. The posters
case, if the deputy speaker refuses to
being pasted by the alleged
administer the oath, then either governor
Maoists are fake and are done
Dhankhar himself or anyone else he
to create tension,” further said
appoints newly will monitor the TMC
the police official.
Ballygunge MLA's oath.
Longewala post to be developed as tourist spot
HOT DESTINATION
T
MANISH GODHA / Jaipur
anot Mata Temple, Kishangarh Fort and
Longewala border post
will soon become major tourist attractions of Jaisalmer,
Rajasthan. To boost border
tourism, the Rajasthan government and the Border Security Force are developing
the area as a tourist complex.
Longewala is one of the India’s most famous borders,
proudly remembered for the
valour of the Indian Army
during the 1971 war and the
visit to this post will be a
unique experience as it is
reminiscent of the strength
of Indian security forces.
Also, Tanot Mata Temple in
the area recorded over 3,000
tourists and devotees every
day before the Covid pandemic. Now, only a few
tourists get a chance to visit
the Bavaliyawala border after the permission of the district administration.
As part of the tourism activities, BSF documentaries,
a weapon display and a photo
gallery will be displayed at
the base in Tanot. Tourists
will be able to visit the
Bavaliyawala border and
watch the retreat ceremony
at the border point. In addition, amphitheatre, a chil-
dren’s activity area, cafeteria
and other facilities will be developed here. The Jaisalmer
administration is also developing the Bavaliyawala area
and providing many facilities to the visitors.
The Tourism department
principal secretary, Gayatri
Rathod said: “The border and
its related history attracts
tourists. The BSF ensures
safe and comfortable travel
by showcasing the development of the Tanot Mata
tourist site and the tough life
of the border guards. At the
same time, the attraction of
the Indo-Pak border against
the backdrop of rich historical
magnificence
gives
tourists a memory to cherish
for a lifetime.”
Notably, Jaisalmer has a
different identity as a tourist
destination globally. It is also
called Golden City. Its royal
havelis, cultural heritage and
natural beauty attract thousands of tourists every year.
Now, with the development of
border tourism, the government is expecting new employment opportunities for
the residents of remote villages and desert areas.
NEWLY-BUILT BRIDGE
CRUMBLES IN BIHAR
NATION
Some countries want to patent Yoga, but it belongs to India: Bhagwat
SAHARANPUR: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday said some countries
wanted to “patent” Yoga, but it belongs “to India”. One can reach the pinnacle
of knowledge through Yoga, he emphasised. Addressing the 49th foundation
day of Mokshyatan Yoga Sansthan in Saharanpur here, Bhagwat said, “Some
countries in the world want to patent Yoga. Hence we have to come forward
–Agencies
and have to say that Yoga is of India.”
LAW KUMAR MISHRA / Patna
A newly-constructed river
overbridge on river Ganga at
Sultanganj collapsed on Saturday morning. However,
there was no casualty.
Managing director of the
Bihar State Bridge Construction Corporation,Pankaj Kumar Pal,who visited Sultanganj in Bhagalpur district
said due to thunderstorm,
part of the bridge constructed at a cost of Rs 1,710 crore
collapsed at 4 am. Pal said an
inquiry committee headed by
a professor from NIT,Patna
has been constituted. NIT experts too, reached the site in
the evening. According to
Pal,the bridge had been constructed by a private company from Hyderabad.
JDU MLA from Sultanganj,
Lalit Narayan Mandal, alleged that the bridge collapsed due to poor construction and use of substandard
materials. Recalling that a
bridge constructed by the
same company on Kosi river
had collapsed four years back,
still it was given contracts for
the Sultanganj bridge.
FAST NEWS
Similar incidents
■ In September 2021, a bridge constructed on Gandak river
collapsed within 29 days after it was inaugrated by the chief
minister. The 12-km-long bridge linked Saran with Gopalganj
district.
■ A newly-constructed bridge on Kankai river collapsed at
Godavari village last year.
■ Last month, a 60-foot-long bridge on Sone river was stolen by
thieves, who posed as irrigation department staff. The police later
arrested eight people, including a sub-divisional officer of
irrigation department, for the theft.
VHP warns stir over ‘illegal’ cemeteries
NOIDA: Alleging that “illegal” mausoleums have
“grown like mushrooms” in Uttar Noida, the
Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) Saturday demanded
they be removed or the organisation will launch
a statewide agitation. It also demanded
withdrawal of “false cases” registered against its
activists and those of its youth wing Bajrang Dal.
The demands come two days after a scuffle
broke out between policemen and VHP-Bajrang
Dal members in Noida following an argument
involving two minors from different communities.
AP SSC paper leak: 10 teachers held
AMARAVATI: Police in Andhra Pradesh's Sri
Sathya Sai district on Saturday arrested the
headmaster of a government school for alleged
involvement in leaking Class 10 examination
paper, taking the number of teachers arrested for
malpractices to 10. Vijay Kumar, head master of
a high school at Nalla Cheruvu, was arrested for
leaking the paper while discharging his duties as
chief superintendent Secondary School Certificate
(SSC) examination at Gandlapenta.
.
UP cops remove 45K loudspeakers
LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh police informed on
Saturday that as many as 45,773 loudspeakers
have been removed from various religious places
across the state. Additional Director General of
Police ( Law and Order), Prashant Kumar said,
“So far 45,773 loudspeakers have been removed
from various religious places across the state
while the sound level of 58,861 loudspeakers
was reduced and brought down to standard
parameters.” The news comes days after the
Uttar Pradesh government ordered the removal
of illegal loudspeakers from religious places.
FROM PAGE 1
Mind the red lines...
He also highlighted the lack of procedural
fairness when it comes to arresting
individuals and probing cases. The key to
good governance is "abiding by law and
constitution", and if the police probes are
conducted in a just manner, and illegal
arrest and custodial torture comes to an
end, the number of cases would drastically
decrease.
"However this is often ignored and opinions
of law department is not sought in the rush
to implement executive decisions. Role of
special and govt pleaders in court needs
urgent remedy," the CJI said
Likewise, public interest litigation petitions
are used to settle political scores, stall
projects and presssurise public authorities,
the CJI said. Due to the misuse of PILs,
courts are now wary of entertaining PILs,
he said.
The CJI batted for Indianisation of justice
delivery system which, according to him, is
a multidimensional concept. "By
Indianisation, I mean increasing
accessibility by moulding the system to suit
the needs and sensibilities of the Indian
population," the CJI said.
Urgent attention shall be given to the
judicial infrastructure, the CJI said while
highlighting the plight of "lady advocates"
and female clients due to shortage of
infrastructure.
"The environment of some district courts is
such, even lady advocates feel
apprehensive about entering court rooms,
let alone female clients. Courts, being
temples of justice, should be welcoming
and carry the requisite dignity and aura,"
the CJI said.
ED raids on Xiaomi...
“The company remitted foreign currency
equivalent to Rs 5,551.27 crore to three
foreign-based entities which include one
Xiaomi group entity in the guise of royalty.
Such huge amounts in the name of royalties
were remitted on the instructions of their
Chinese parent group entities,” said ED in a
statement.
Xiaomi India is a trader and distributor of
mobile phones, with an annual turnover of
Rs 34,000 crore in India, under the brand
name of MI. Xiaomi India procures
completely manufactured mobile sets and
other products from manufacturers in
China. It has not availed any service from
the three foreign-based entities to whom
Another electric scooter
goes up in flames in TN
AGENCIES
Chennai
An electric scooter caught
fire in Hosur, an industrial
hub in Tamil Nadu's Krishnagiri district, on Saturday
causing panic in the area.
The owner, a supervisor at
a private firm in Bengaluru, however had a providential escape.
Hosur resident Satish Kumar noticed his scooter suddenly catching fire from under the seat and jumped to
safety. As the vehicle went
up in flames, passersby
rushed to his help in dousing the blaze. But the vehicle got gutted, police said.
Satish had bought the
electric two-wheeler last
year.
Electric scooters suddenly
catching fire has become a
cause for concern of late.
In a string of such incidents recently, a father and
his daughter died due to
suffocation in Vellore district in March due to the
smoke caused by the explosion of the electric bike
while being charged. An
electric two-wheeler caught
fire in Manapparai in
Tiruchirappalli district, later.
Earlier this month, a man
died when the detachable
battery of the electric scooter kept for charging exploded in his house in Telangana.
In TN's Ambur this
month, a frustrated man
poured petrol on his e-scooter and set it afire as the
manufacturers did not send
help on time when he complained that the vehicle
stopped working after 50
km. The video of the man
torching his own bike went
viral on social media.
Last week, electric scooter
maker PURE EV, expressing deep regret over the alleged explosion of a battery
of an electric scooter leading to the death of an 80year-old man in Telangana's
Nizamabad,
announced
that it has decided to recall
2,000 vehicles in Nizamabad
and Chennai.
Concerned over the rise in
incidents of electric twowheelers catching fire,
Union Road Transport and
Highways Minister Nitin
Gadkari had said the companies found negligent will
be penalised and a recall of
all defective vehicles will be
ordered after receiving the
report of an expert panel
that has been formed to inquire into the matter.
Country sees slight rise in Covid cases
OUR BUREAU / New Delhi
India on Saturday reported a slight
rise in the Coronavirus cases,
recording 2,688 infections in 24
hours and active cases going up to
18,664. The disease claimed many
as 50 persons, including 45 in Kerala and two each in Delhi and Maharashtra while one in Uttar
Pradesh.
Several vials found in
garbage dump in UP
A probe has been ordered after several vials of Covishield vaccine
were found in a garbage dump at a
community health centre in Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh, officials
said on Saturday.
Chief Medical Officer of the district, Dr Vinod Kumar termed the
‘wastage of vaccine’ a ‘serious matter’. “An investigation will be ordered and action will be taken
against those guilty,” said Kumar.
Time gap for precaution
dose not reduced
The Central government has not
reduced the time gap for administering precaution dose of Covid-19
vaccine from nine months to six
months, sources said on Saturday.
There are mixed views of experts
over whether one should reduce
the gap of a booster dose in India.
As per data, less number of people
have shown interest in getting the
precaution dose.
No vax, testing mandate
for Char Dham Yatra
Ahead of the Char Dham Yatra to
begin on May 3, the Uttarakhand
government has instructed the
devotees to register on state's portal before their arrival. However,
Covid-19 testing and checking of
vaccination certificates are not
mandatory for the devotees.
Cops mull cancelling Vijay Babu’s passport
AGENCIES / Kochi
While actor-producer Vijay Babu, who
is facing rape charges registered
by the Kerala police, has allegedly fled to Dubai, the probe
authorities are mulling steps to
see if his passport can be cancelled, to get his custody to interrogate him.
In a related development, the
actors body Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) in
which Vijay Babu is an office-bearer,
is meeting in Kochi on Sunday to discuss the issue. The police suspect that
huge amounts of remittance were
transferred.
“Xiaomi India has not provided any
technological input or software-related
assistance to these contract manufacturers.
Interestingly, Xiaomi India has transferred
money to the three foreign-based entities
from which they have not availed any kind
of service. The company remitted this
amount in guise of royalty abroad which
constitutes violation of the FEMA. The
company also provided misleading
information to the banks while remitting
the money abroad,” ED statement added.
The Confederation of All India Traders
Association (CAIT) welcomed the ED action
on the China-based Xiaomi Group and
demanded further audit of all foreignfunded companies siphoning money out of
India as royalty.
“We have been repeatedly raising concerns
over the funding and financial management
of Chinese mobile companies. These
foreign-funded companies have destroyed
the domestic trade of Indian businesses,
with their monopolistic business
malpractices,” alleged CAIT Secretary
General Praveen Khandelwal.
Rs 7.27cr of actor’s booty...
The case against Sukesh was registered
following a complaint by Aditi Singh, wife
of Shivinder Singh, who accused him of
taking the money from her after promising
her that he would arrange for her
husband's release.
Investigators have questioned the actor
over her links with the conman. She is
learnt to have confessed to receiving a 1.5
lakh dollar loan from Sukesh, along with
gifts that included a horse worth Rs 52
lakh, a Persian cat worth Rs 9 lakh, gemstudded earrings and a Hermes bracelet.
She reportedly also "received" a Mini
Cooper car which she later returned.
Funds in foreign exchange were allegedly
funnelled to close family members of
Fernandez through international hawala
operator Avtar Singh Kochhar.
In Tamil Nadu, Sukesh first came to
limelight in 2009 when he switched base
from Bengaluru. Known as Sekar Reddy
alias Balaji then, he managed to con people
with his glib talk introducing himself as the
grandson of then Chief Minister
Karunanidhi.
“He was fluent in English and a few other
languages. People easily fell for his charm.
His tricks were varied. Sometimes, he
would lure them to invest huge money in
fraudulent schemes or at times promise to
he has is presently in the UAE.
According to Kochi Police Commissioner CH Nagaraju, there was no laxity on the part of the probe
team, which allowed him to
escape. He also said that if required, they might even travel
abroad to take him into custody.
“The complaint was received on April 22 and a case
was registered. What he should do is
to appear before the probe team. We
have already served a notice at his
house. A decision will be taken to see
what can be done,” said Nagaraju.
bail out people and scoot with their
money,” recalls a police officer, who has
investigated him early on. In Bengaluru, he
had duped people claiming to be a close
friend of former Chief Minister H D
Kumaraswamy.
His earliest girlfriends-cum-accomplice was
Leena Maria Paul, the Madras Cafe actor.
Both were arrested in 2015 by the Mumbai
Police’s Economic Offences Wing. Prior to
that the two had defrauded the Canara
Bank of Rs 19 crore and were arrested by
the Chennai police. Sukesh aka Balaji has a
fascination for luxurious living and top-end
cars. Some months ago the Enforcement
Directorate raided his sea side bungalow
near Chennai and were taken aback to see
his fleet of Rolls Royce Ghost, Lamborghini
Urus, Ferrari 458 Italia and Bentley
Bentayga, apart from Mercedes.
Sukesh is currently involved in a five-yearold cheating case involving politician T T V
Dhinakaran.
Chalisa used as...
The prosecution defended the charge of
sedition slapped on them and cited a TV
interview in which Navneet Rana had
challenged the government to stop her if it
has the guts. “What politeness... Look at
their behaviour...Is this not a challenge to the
government? This is the ingredient for 124A
(sedition),” it was pointed out.
Special Public Prosecutor Pradip Gharat
argued, “Nowadays Hinduism has become a
key word in India. Not just Hanuman Chalisa,
but even Hinduism is used as a card.” He
added that Hinduism is such a card that if it
is used then the government of Maharashtra
can be trapped.
“The (state) government is not pursuing the
cause of a single religion. The opposition just
wants to show that the present government,
the Shiv Sena, has changed its stand toward
Hinduism…So if that is shown then it will
collapse. This is not mere innocent reading of
Hanuman Chalisa,” the prosecutor asserted.
Referring to the words used by them, he
called these “most objectionable”. They said
‘Uddhav Thackeray hijra hai, Sainik hijre
hain’. When these types of comments are
made, he asked if it cannot be said that the
Ranas provoked and instigated, and a law
and order problem was created.
Counsel Abad Ponda, appearing for the
Ranas, argued that what is sought to be
punished is an idea that is connected with
someone’s religious beliefs. “Where everyone
is Hindu here and someone just wants to
recite (the hymn)...It is not their case that
they wanted to use a loudspeaker to chant
MUMBAI | SUNDAY | MAY 1, 2022
Raj Waqf Board loses
appeal to protect mosque
IN THE COURTYARD
OUR BUREAU / New Delhi
The Supreme Court on Friday
quashed the appeal of the Rajasthan Waqf Board against
removal of Qalandari Masjid
situated at Tiranga Hills in
village Pur in Bhilwara district to allow Jindal Saw Limited to carry out mining of
gold, silver, lead, zinc, copper,
iron, cobalt and nickle in
Dhedwas village in Bhilwara
district.
The petition prayed to save
the mosque platform from
mining. The Waqf Board had
come in appeal against the
High Court permitting the
firm to demolish the mosque
wall if it obstructs its work.
Jindal Saw Limited was
leased out 1556 hectare of
land on December 8, 2010 for
mining and it succeeded in securing an order from the Rajasthan High Court on September 29, 2021 to pull down
the structure claimed to be a
mosque.
Jahangirpuri case: Cops told
to provide FIR to 2 accused
NEW DELHI: A court here on Saturday directed
Delhi police to hand over copies of the FIR and
certain other documents to two accused in a
case related to Jahangirpuri violence here.
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Deepika Singh
passed the order on a plea moved by both the
accused - Zafar and Babuddin - but said the FIR
should not be made public and its content
should not be posted on social media.
The court also extended the judicial custody of
both of them till 13 May after they were
produced before it through video conferencing.
Corruption is a silent killer
in society: HC on CWG scam
NEW DELHI: Dismissing the revision petition of
an organiser of the 2010 Commonwealth Games
(CWG) in the national capital, the Delhi High
Court observed that corruption is a silent killer in
society, saying it was a serious economic issue
that affects the country's development. Justice
Chandra Dhari Singh noted that corruption adds
to the deprivation of the poor and weaker
sections of society. If the court finds that
evidence against an accused is sufficient for
framing of charge, then it has the jurisdiction to
proceed and the accused must face trial, said the
order. The bench was hearing the revision plea
of VK Verma, the then DG of the CWG's
Organising Committee, which sought the setting
aside of a CBI court order for quashing criminal
proceedings against the petitioner.
SC judge to mediate in Oyo's
lease dispute
NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has
appointed Justice Vikramajit Sen, former Supreme
A Bench of Justices Hemant
Gupta and V Ramasubramanian held that a dilapidated
wall or a platform cannot be
conferred a status of religious
place for the purpose of offering prayers as contended by
the Waqf Board, in view of no
proof of dedication or user.
It said there is no evidence
that the structure was being
used as a mosque. It noted
that the mosque was not on
the land leased out to the firm
for mining purposes.
Court judge, as the sole arbitrator in a lease deed
dispute involving Oyo Hotels and Homes Pvt Ltd.
Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva was hearing Oyo's plea
that a clause in the lease deed refers to an
additional assets purchase agreement dated
October 23, 2019, executed between the
hospitality major and respondent Parveen Juneja.
Both the parties' documents contain similar
arbitration clauses, and they are liable to be
referred to a sole arbitrator, Oyo's counsel argued.
Telangana HC orders status
quo in 'Jhund' case
HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court has
ordered status quo on a petition by Hyderabadbased filmmaker Nandi Chinni Kumar seeking a
stay on the release of the Amitabh Bachchanstarrer 'Jhund' on OTT platform and satellite
broadcasting. Justice P Sree Sudha ordered the
respondents to file counter on the petitioner's
application seeking temporary injunction.
The court posted the case for further hearing to
June 8 and directed both the parties to maintain
status till then. (sedition) of IPC on May 5.
PIL challenges building of
parking by razing school
NEW DELHI: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL)
has been filed in the Delhi High Court
challenging the construction of an upcoming
commercial area and a multi-level car parking
facility by demolishing a primary school
established in 1927 at Karol Bagh in the
national capital. As per the plea, North Delhi
Municipal Corporation had proposed to
construct the multi-level parking by demolishing
the school building and premises, and sold it to
Omtech Infrastructure & Construction Ltd for Rs
181 crore.
Khargone violence: MP HC seeks state
reply on demolition of restaurant, bakery
AGENCIES / Indore
The Madhya Pradesh High
Court's Indore bench has sought
a reply from the state government about the demolition of an
allegedly illegally constructed
bakery and a restaurant in Khargone, following the violence during a Ram Navami procession in
the city on April 10.
Judges issued notices to state
government while hearing sepa-
rate writ petitions filed by the
owners of a restaurant and a
bakery on April 22 and April 28
respectively, counsel for the petitioners informed on Saturday.
Restauranteur Ateeq Ali and
bakery owner Amjad Rashid
claimed in their petitions that
the Khargone administration
had taken an “arbitrary” and “illegal” action to bulldoze their
properties without hearing
them out.
the Hanuman Chalisa.” he argued, adding
that reading Hanuman Chalisa outside a
mosque will have different repercussions and
pointed out that the CM himself is a staunch
Hindu.
He drew parallels between the act of reciting
the hymn and a scene in Hindi film ‘Lage
Raho Munna Bhai’. “We just want to criticise
the government…this is like the Munnabhai
film where a rose is given and not a sword,”
Ponda said.
Referring to the video of Indians reciting the
hymn at London bridge, he said, “Hanuman
Chalisa was read on London bridge...People
are peacefully reading it...But in your own
place you cannot recite it!”
Ponda said, “In a lighter vein, if the topmost
leader of the state had said ‘Come and I will
also read the Hanuman Chalisa’, what would
have happened? Nothing! He would have
got a populist vote that he is such a great
Hindu.” The court is expected to decide the
bail applications on Monday.
24x7 power hangs...
“While we have sufficient capacity to meet
the demands of all our consumers, Tata
Power would like to appeal for optimized
usage of electricity. The company has got
sufficient long-term capacity to cater to its
consumers. Tata Power Mumbai distribution’s
contracted capacities are hydro - 218MW,
thermal and gas - 482MW and renewable
energy - 385MW. Apart from this, any
momentary shortages are met by energy
markets and demand will be met through
contracted capacity and short-term power
purchase, if required,” said a Tata Power
spokesman.
An Adani Electricity spokesman said,
“Electricity consumption is at its peak as
everyone tries to beat this unprecedented
summer heat. While our teams work day and
night to meet the rising electricity demand,
the same comes at a cost. Remaining
conscious of the same, we humbly appeal to
our consumers to consume judiciously and
keep electricity bills in check this summer.”
Energy expert Ashok Pendse has also called
for saving electricity usage. “Yesterday
(Friday), we touched 3,820MW load in
Mumbai. If we reach 4,200MW, we are in
the red zone. Mumbai consumers must
conserve energy at peak load between 3pm
to 5pm. This can be achieved by controlling
air-conditioning load. Keep the machine in
good condition, temperature at 26°C, reduce
the number of air conditioners. We can all
work together to achieve this,” he noted.
Sterlite Power Project Director Ninad Pitale
suggested an additional transmission corridor
Ram, Krishna had cosmic weapons, Yogi
has bulldozer: Sakshi Maharaj
KANNAUJ: BJP leader Sakshi Maharaj on Saturday said 'dhanush'
and 'sudarshan chakra' are linked with Lord Rama and Lord Krishna
respectively, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has a
bulldozer that razes illegal properties of mafias. He said citizens in
Uttar Pradesh were happy with the use of bulldozers to demolish
illegal properties built by encroaching government land. “While Lord
Ram and Krishna had 'dhanush' (bow) and 'sudarshan chakra' , our
baba (Yogi Adityanth) has a bulldozer.”
–Agencies
to cater to the growing demand of
Mumbaikars. “Once the transmission network
is strengthened, the evacuation of power
from outside will become easy,” he said.
TANDOORI D&N...
According to the World Meteorological
Organisation, the frequency of warm
extremes over India has increased during
1951-2015, with accelerated warm trends
during the recent 30- year period 1986-2015.
According to IMD spokesperson, it is
climatologically possible that May is the
hottest month; that may well be the case if
temperatures top 50 degrees Celsius this
summer.
Heatwaves have multiple and cascading
impacts not just on human health, but also
on ecosystems, agriculture, water and energy
supplies and key sectors of the economy.
Captaincy is back...
he scored only 112 runs on 92 balls at a
strike rate of 121.7; also, he has taken a
measly five wickets in the eight games so
far. By stepping aside, Jadeja will be able to
focus on his game, CSK said in a statement.
Dhoni, on the other hand, has looked in
good nick with the bat and his reflexes are
equally sharp behind the wickets.
Captaincy is unlikely to bother him one
bit. In the IPL, Dhoni has been
synonymous with the Super Kings, leading
them to 4 title triumphs. After a poor
season in 2020, he endured criticism
before storming back to win the IPL
in 2021.
41-kg high-end...
Disguised as autorickshaw drivers and
deliverymen, Customs officers undertook
‘controlled delivery’ of dummy parcels of
identical shapes and looks to nab the actual
recipient of the narcotics consignments.
Sustained surveillance of targeted
addresses by undercover Customs officers
led to the arrest of an accused while
accepting the dummy consignment, which
led them to another accused who was
supposed to collect the contraband. The
third accused and mastermind of the
operation was arrested subsequently and a
search at his Vashi residence led to the
seizure of another 20kgs of marijuana and
120gms of hashish. Amongst the seized
contraband was several packets of cookies
and brownies labelled ‘Nightmagic
Cookies’, ‘Party Progress’ etc.
The arrested accused, identified as John
Peter Monteiro, Ashish Bharti and Sunil
Pawar, imported narcotics from abroad
and supplied them to niche high-end
party circuits.
CBI swoops on...
The searches are in connection with the Yes
Bank and DHFL fraud case,” confirmed a top
CBI officer.
However, CBI officers did not immediately
reveal whether any documents or digital
devices had been taken into possession for
investigation purposes during the searches.
“Some information had come to light during
the investigation, after which searches were
conducted,” the officer said.
The CBI had, on Thursday, arrested builder
and Radius Group MD Sanjay Chhabria in
connection with the said case. Chhabria was
produced before the court on Saturday, which
remanded him in police custody till May 6.
As per CBI officials, in June 2018, the DHFL
appraised and sanctioned loans of Rs 1,100
crore and Rs 900 crore to M/s Radius Estate
Projects Pvt Ltd (REPPL) and Sumer Radius
Realty Pvt Ltd (SRRPL), respectively, two
companies controlled by Chhabria. Kapil
Wadhawan of the DHFL also disbursed loans
amounting to Rs 416 crore to M/s Radius
Estates and Developers Pvt Ltd (REDPL) and
REPPL without any appraisal or risk
assessment of the said Radius Group
concerns.
The CBI said in its remand application that
pursuant to the sanction of the loan of Rs 750
crore by Yes Bank to M/s Belief Realtors Pvt
Ltd (BRPL), an amount of Rs 632 crore was
diverted by BRPL to the accounts of DHFL and
a major part of the said amount was
thereafter transferred by DHFL to M/s Flag
Industries India Pvt Ltd and other companies
owned by Chhabria on September 29, 2018.
In its application, the CBI has alleged that the
disbursement of the BRPL loan was also
facilitated by Chhabria, by way of execution
of a development management agreement
dated August 10, 2018, with the said M/s
BRPL through another company controlled by
Radius Group (Raghuleela Builders Pvt Ltd;
RBPL). The execution of the said DM
agreement was a prerequisite for the loan
sanctioned by Yes Bank to M/s BRPL. The CBI
said in its application, “Significant amounts
from the aforesaid loans have been diverted
and it is essential to interrogate the accused
with regard to utilisation of the said funds
and the whereabouts thereof. The custodial
interrogation of Chhabria is necessary to
ascertain the end use of aforesaid loans
aggregating to Rs 3,094 crore, for the
purpose of recovery of material evidence
pertaining to the said transactions and the
related issues.”
Afghanistan moves UN over Pak
airstrikes killing 40 civilians
WORLD
Over 20 trapped, 39 missing in China building collapse
BEIJING: At least 39 people were missing and 23 trapped in a sixstorey residential building collapse in China's central Hunan province,
authorities said on Saturday. Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered
AGENCIES / United Nations
The Charge d'Affaires at
Afghanistan's UN mission
here has lodged an official
complaint with the Security
Council over airstrikes
launched by Pakistan in the
eastern Afghan provinces of
Kunar and Khost this month,
saying
cross-border
shellings by the Pakistani
military forces are 'reprehensible' and these breaches
will further destabilise peace
and security in the region.
Naseer Ahmad Faiq, the
Charge d'Affaires at the Permanent
Mission
of
Afghanistan to the United
Nations, wrote to the President of the Security Council
for the month of April, the
UK, that the airstrikes by the
Pakistani Air Force inside
Afghanistan are an "aggression against territorial integrity" of Afghanistan.
These airstrikes are a "flagrant breach of international laws", principles of the
UN Charter, UN General Assembly and Security Council resolutions, including on
'Kabul Declaration on GoodNeighbourly Relations', he
said.
Faiq, in the "letter of complaint", which he has requested be circulated as an
official document of the UN
Security Council, writes
that the persistent violations
of Afghanistan's territory by
Pakistani military forces
through
cross-border
shelling, construction of
military posts and fence inside Afghanistan's soil have
been going on for over a
decade.
He said that the cross-border shelling, which has
caused civilian casualties,
displacement and destruction of public and private
properties is particularly of
high concern.
"These acts are reprehensible and must be stopped.
Continuation
of
these
breaches will impact the relations of the two nations
and it will further destabilise the peace and security
in Afghanistan and the region," he wrote.
Noting that this longstanding issue has been
brought to the notice of the
Security Council through
letters on three previous occasions, Faiq expressed hope
that necessary measures are
taken by the Council to address the matter effectively.
In a separate press statement dated April 16, the
Afghan mission "strongly"
condemned the Pakistani
airstrikes in Khost and Kunar
provinces
of
Afghanistan that had killed
over 40 people.
FAST NEWS
8 kids killed in Egypt vehicle mishap
CAIRO: At least eight children died on Saturday when a passenger
tricycle overturned and sank in an irrigation channel in Egypt's Nile
Delta, authorities said. The accident took place in the city of Itay
el-Baroud in the Mediterranean province of Beheira. The children
were workers at a factory in the city, around 140 km (87 miles)
north of the capital of Cairo, a police statement said. The tvehicle
was carrying at least 13 people when it overturned and sank.
Suspected tornado rips through Kansas
WICHITA (US): A suspected tornado that barreled through parts of
Kansas damaged multiple buildings, injured several people and
left more than 6,500 people without power, officials said Saturday.
Officials said the suspected twister moved though parts of
southeast Wichita and Andover on Friday. Andover Fire Chief Chad
Russell said early Saturday morning that 50 to 100 buildings were
damaged in Sedgwick County, though it was not immediately
known how many buildings were damaged in Andover.
Pak detects 2nd polio case in a week
ISLAMABAD: A two-year-old girl in Pakistan's KhyberPakhtunkhwa province has been tested positive for polio, the
second such case in the country in a week, triggering panic
among health officials as the virus causing the crippling disease
can travel along with people in the massive movement during
Eid holidays. Pakistan is one of the two polio-endemic countries
in the world along with its neighbour Afghanistan. Polio is a
highly infectious virus. Until this last remaining epidemiological
bloc wipes out polio, children across the globe remain at risk of
life-long paralysis or fatality by the virus.
Russia makes last-minute bond payment
NEW YORK: Russia has staved off a default on its debt by
making a last-minute payment using its precious dollar reserves
sitting outside the country, US Treasury officials said. The amount
of the payment was not disclosed, but earlier this month Russia's
finance ministry said it tried to make a USD 649 million payment
due April 6 toward two bonds to an unnamed US bank previously reported as JPMorgan Chase. At that time, tightened
sanctions imposed for Russia's invasion of Ukraine prevented the
payment from being accepted, so Moscow attempted to make
the debt payment in rubles.
UK lawmaker quits for watching porn
LONDON: A British lawmaker from the governing Conservative
Party has resigned after admitting he watched pornography on
his phone in the House of Commons chamber. Neil Parish, a
member of Parliament since 2010, announced his decision on
Saturday after pressure from members of his own party who
sought to defuse sleaze allegations before Britain holds its local
elections on May 5. The ballot is seen as pivotal for
Conservative PM Boris Johnson, who is already facing a voter
backlash over lockdown-breaking parties in government offices
during Covid pandemic.
all-out efforts to rescue the trapped and injured people. Five people
have been rescued and admitted to nearby hospitals. The six-story
building toppled at noon on Friday in Wangcheng district.
Kabul mosque blast sparks outrage
A Taliban fighter stands guard near the site of a blast in Kabul on Friday.
AGENCIES
Kabul
The powerful blast targeted
at a Kabul mosque, which
killed at least 10 worshippers and left several others
injured, has sparked outrage from the international
community, reported local
media.
Condemning the attack,
the United Nations Mission
in Afghanistan (UNAMA)
said that the explosion "di-
Pak PM’s son takes
oath as Punjab CM
LAHORE: Amidst last minute
drama, Hamza Shehbaz, son of
Pakistan's new Prime Minister
Shehbaz Sharif, on Saturday
took the oath of chief minister
of Punjab, the country's most
populous province with 110
million people.
National Assembly Speaker
Raja Pervaiz Ashraf
administered the oath of office
to 47-year-old Hamza at the
Governor House here.
rectly affected" two staff of
the UN and their family
members who were inside
the
mosque,
reported
ToloNews.
"No words are strong
enough to condemn this
despicable act, targeting a
place of worship, as Muslims across Afghanistan
prepare to celebrate Eid,"
the media outlet quoted UN
deputy special envoy Mette
Knudsen as saying in a
statement.
Decrying the "senseless
and terrible attacks against
innocent Afghans this past
week, including at Khalifa
Sahib mosque," the US special envoy for Afghanistan
Thomas West said the attacks must end and the perpetrators must be brought
to justice. Further, Ramiz
Alakbarov, UN Humanitarian
Coordinator
in
Afghanistan, also issued a
statement condemning the
"heinous" attack.
Buddhist clergy threatens to
issue decree against SL govt
AGENCIES / Colombo
Sri Lanka's powerful Buddhist clergy has threatened
to issue a decree against
the government led by
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and decided to
stage a protest against it on
Saturday for its failure to
make way for an interim
government to resolve the
ongoing political and economic crisis.
In recent weeks, the Buddhist clergy, civil society
and trade chambers have
demanded the formation of
an interim government in
the predominantly Buddhist nation.
Now, the Buddhist clergy
has decided to come out to
press for the resignation of
Prime Minister Mahinda
Rajapaksa to make way for
an interim government.
Some 1,000 monks are to
stage a protest march on
Saturday evening demanding the government to act
according to their letter addressed
to
President
Gotabaya Rajapaksa dated
April 4.
Sirisumana said at a parley to be held later on Saturday with all parties representing Parliament, they
would issue a decree
against the government for
their failure to act.
Shell signs $1.55 bn deal to acquire
India’s Sprng Energy group
AGENCIES / Houston
Shell Overseas Investment B.V., a wholly
owned subsidiary of Shell plc (Shell), has
signed an agreement with Actis Solenergi
Limited (Actis) to acquire 100 per cent of
Solenergi Power Private Limited for USD
1.55 billion and with it, the Sprng Energy
group of companies.
Solenergi Power Pvt Ltd is incorporated
in Mauritius and is direct shareholder of
Sprng Energy group of companies in India.
Sprng Energy, headquartered in Pune,
Maharashtra, will retain its existing
brand and operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Shell within Shell's Renewables
and Energy Solutions Integrated Power
business. The transaction is subject to regulatory clearance and is expected to close
later this year.
Kim warns NK could
‘preemptively’ use
nuclear weapons
Putin set to declare
all-out war on Ukraine
North Korean leader Kim
Jong Un warned again that
the North could preemptively use its nuclear weapons if
threatened, as he praised
his top army officials for a
massive military parade in
the capital, Pyongyang, this
week. Kim expressed "firm
will" to continue developing
his nuclear-armed military
so that it could "preemptively contain and frustrate all
dangerous attempts and
threatening moves, including ever-escalating nuclear
threats from hostile forces,"
the North's official Korean
Central News Agency said
on Saturday.
KCNA said Kim called his
military officials to praise
their work during Monday's
parade, where the North
showcased the biggest
weapons in its nuclear arsenal, including intercontinental ballistic missiles that
could potentially reach the
US homeland.
Russian President Vladimir
Putin is set to declare an
"all-out war" on Ukraine
"within days" to enable
Moscow to launch a general
mobilisation of the population, according to Russian
sources and Western officials.
Russia invaded Ukraine
on February 24 in what
Putin called a "special military operation" to "demilitarise
and de-nazify" Ukraine
and barred
the use of the
word "war",
thinking it
would
be
over in a few
weeks, The
Daily Mail reported.
However,
army chiefs, Leonivda Netchiboy, 49, visits the grave of her
husband, Pavlo, a drafted Ukrainian soldier.
frustrated
AGENCIES / Seoul
MUMBAI | SUNDAY | MAY 1, 2022
AGENCIES
London
that the invasion has now
stretched into the third
week, have called on the
President to declare war,
which would enable a mass
mobilisation of Russian
troops and an escalation in
the conflict.
Britain's Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said that
Putin might use Russia's
victory day parade on May 9
to announce the mass mobilisation of his reserves for
a final push in Ukraine.
Palestinian
attackers kill
Israeli guard
JERUSALEM: The Israeli military on Saturday launched a manhunt
in the northern West
Bank and arrested a pair
of Palestinian attackers
who shot and killed a security guard at the entrance of a Jewish settlement.
The fresh attack, combined with the death of a
Palestinian man elsewhere in the occupied
West Bank, could further
fuel tensions that have
soared over the past two
months. A string of
Palestinian attacks in Israel and the West Bank
have left 15 Israelis dead,
while at least 27 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli security forces in recent weeks. The security
guard was shot outside
Ariel, a major settlement
in the northern West
Bank, late Friday night
by a pair of assailants in
a car, the army said.
Influential Buddhist monks attend a meeting at Colombo's Independence Memorial Hall on Saturday, to express their solidarity
with countrymen demonstrating against the government.
Will prove majority in
Drug prices up 40-60%
Parliament: Oppn leader Adding more burden to the
A senior leader from Sri
Lanka's Opposition party
Samagi Jana Balawegaya
(SJB) on Saturday said
his party will prove their
majority in Parliament
next week for the no-confidence motion against
the government led by
the Rajapaksa family, according to a media report.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has asked the Opposition to show their majority by garnering the support of 113 lawmakers in
the 225-member Parliament
to form the interim government.
staggering economy of the
island nation, Health Minister Channa Jayasumana
issued a special gazette order on Thursday stating a
dramatic price hike in the
pharm drugs, yet again
shooting up prices of 60
drugs up by 40 to 60.
Foreign earnings
curbs to be eased
The Central Bank of Sri
Lanka announced that the
island nation will remove
regulations that made exporters convert their foreign currency earnings
into rupees in near future.
CHINA REPORTS 47 DEATHS,
1,410 NEW COVID CASES
AGENCIES / Beijing
The Chinese mainland reported 1,410 new locally
transmitted Covid cases and
47 deaths in the past 24
hours, the National Health
Commission said on Saturday.
Of these local cases, 1,249
were reported in Shanghai
while the rest of the cases
were reported in 14 other
provincial-level regions, including Beijing, Guangdong,
and Sichuan, Xinhua reported citing the commission.
Notably, of the newly reported local confirmed cases, 1,013 were previously
identified as asymptomatic
infections.
Besides the local cases,
9,293 local asymptomatic
carriers were also identified
in the country, of which
8,932 were reported in
Shanghai.
As many as 3,127 Covid patients recovered from the
virus in the past 24 hours,
while 26,567 people are undergoing treatment in hospitals across the country.
With 47 deaths, all in
Shanghai, reported in the
past 24 hours, the Covid
death toll in the country
mounted to 5,022, Xinhua reported.
Meanwhile, to avoid the infamous Shanghai-like lockdown, China's capital Beijing has shut schools and
suspended weddings and funerals, reported a South Korean media outlet on Friday.
Biden fumbles on kleptocracy;
field day for Twitterati
AGENCIES / Washington
US President Joe Biden
fumbled on the word
'kleptocracy' during an
address to the US
Congress on Thursday,
when he was seeking
an additional $33
billion in aid to Ukraine
and following the lapse,
Twitter was flooded with
reactions to his stuttering.
Tom Cotton, US Senator for
Arkansas posted a clip of the
speech on his Twitter handle,
and captioned it as
"Alarming". In the clip, Biden
can be seen fumbling with the
word kleptocracy. After, two
or three attempts he
seemingly gets it correct. The
video has garnered about
37,000 likes and over three
million views on Twitter.
"We're going to seize
their yachts, their luxury
homes, and other illbegotten gains of Putin's
kleptoc- yeah kleptocracy and klep- the guys
who are the kleptocracies,"
said Biden while addressing
the US Congress. Exec Director
of America Matters & former
Army Special Forces Weapons,
Jim Hanson responded to Tom
Cotton, with the caption
"America deserves better" in a
tweet.
2022
GAMES
10 DUM
Virat’s 58 in vain as GT beat RCB
KA
MI beat RR by five
wickets to open
account in IPL 2022
MUMBAI | SUNDAY | MAY 1, 2022
Pandya’s boys beat Bengaluru franchise by six wickets to inch closer to book place in IPL play-offs
G
PTI / Mumbai
ujarat Titans extended their dominance at the top of
the table with a six-wicket
win over Royal Challengers
Bangalore in the Indian
Premier League here on
Saturday and inched closer
towards clinching a play-off
spot in their inception year.
After failing multiple
times, Virat Kohli finally
came out of a prolonged
slump in form by registering his first IPL fifty in 14
matches, including nine
this season, as Royal Challengers Bangalore posted a
challenging 170 for six.
In reply, Rahul Tewatia (43
MI’s Suryakumar Yadav acknowledges the crowd after
scoring a fifty during their IPL match against RR PIC: IPL, BCCI
PTI / Navi Mumbai
Mumbai Indians finally
opened their account in
the ongoing season of the
Indian Premier League
with a five-wicket win
over Rajasthan Royals on
Saturday.
Opting to field, MI restricted RR to 158 for six, despite
a fine 52-ball 67 by Jos Buttler at the top.
The second highest scorer for RR was Ravichandran Ashwin (21 off 9
balls) who played a cameo
to take RR past 150-run
mark.
In reply, MI chased down
the target in 19.2 overs
with Suryakumar Yadav
(51 off 39 balls) emerging
as the top scorer.
Yadav in company of
Tilak Varma (35) added 81
India picks strong junior
team for World C’ships
Double Olympic medalist P V
Sindhu ended her Badminton Asia
Championships campaign with a
bronze medal after going down
fighting to Japan's Akane Yamaguchi in three games on Saturday.
The 26-year-old started the match
on a positive note but couldn't keep
the winning momentum going,
losing 21-13, 19-21, 16-21 to the top
seed and World No. 2 Yamaguchi
in the clash, which lasted one hour
and six minutes.
This is Sindhu's second medal in
the tournament — she had
claimed a bronze in the 2014 Gimcheon edition. The Hyderabad
shuttler, who won two Super 300 titles at Syed Modi International
and Swiss Open, took the first
game easily in 16 minutes.
In the second game, the fourthseeded Sindhu was handed a point
penalty for taking too much time
between points, leading to an argument with the referee.
The argument between the two
led to a momentum shift as Yam-
Still no call on Asiad participation
NEW DELHI: Sports Minister Anurag Thakur
on Saturday said a call on India's
participation at this year's Asian Games will
be taken after receiving feedback from host
nation China, which is striving to bring the
outbreak of Covid-19 cases in Shanghai and
Beijing under control. Shanghai, the financial
hub of the country, has been under a
lockdown for a month now while more curbs
have been introduced in Beijing which is one
edge now. Rumours are doing rounds that
the Hangzhou Asian Games, scheduled to
held from September 10 to 25, will be
postponed due to the pandemic.
Gokulam’s title charge halted
7.30: SRH vs CSK, Live on Star Sports
MULTI DISCIPLINE SPORTS
9.30: Khelo India University Games, Live on
Sony Six and Sony Six HD
FOOTBALL
6.30: Tottenham vs Leicester City, Live on
Star Sports Select 2
6.30: Everton vs Chelsea, Live on Star
Sports Select 2 HD, Star Sports 3, Star
Sports 1 Bangla
9.00: West Ham United vs Arsenal, Live on
Star Sports Select 2 and Star Sports Select
2 HD
BADMINTON
10.30: Badminton Asia Championship 2022,
Live on Sony Ten 2 & Sony Ten 2 HD
BADMINTON ASIA CHAMPIONSHIP
PTI / Manila
NEW DELHI: An eight-member Indian team
will compete at the IWF junior men’s and
women’s World Weightlifting Championships,
starting in Heraklion, Greece from Sunday.
The lifters are also accompanied by four
coaches in addition to a manager, Abraham
Kaya Techi who serves as the vice president
of the Indian Weightlifting Federation.
Squad: Women: Anjali Patel (45kg), Harshada
Sharad Garud (45kg), Gyaneshwari Yadav
(49kg), V. Rithika (49kg), Shrabani Das (55kg),
Maibam Martina Devi (+87kg) Men: T.
Madhavan (61kg), Muna Nayak (61kg).
GOLF SELECTION TRIALS
PIC: TWITTER
by substitute keeper Anuj
Rawat as Dinesh Karthik did
not take to the field.
Sudharsan's dismissal left
RT at 95 for four with the innings entering the 14th over.
Needing 71 from six overs,
David Miller hit Hasaranga
for a six and four to collect
13 runs, and then, two
boundaries by Rahul Tewatia and four off a leg bye got
GT 15 runs from a Mohammed Siraj over.
BRIEF SCORES: RCB 170-6 in 20
overs (Virat Kohli 58, Rajat Patidar
52; Pradeep Sangwan 2-19) lost to
GT 174-4 in 19.3 overs (David Miller
39 not out, Rahul Tewatia 43 not out;
Shahbaz Ahmed 2-26, Wanindu
Hasaranga 2-28) by 6 wickets.
Umran Malik has so far
picked up 15 wickets
from 8 matches at a
strike rate of 12.00
this season PICS: IPL, BCCI
Narwal, Palak
Ezhilarasi, top
selection trials
SHOOTING TRIALS
PTI / New Delhi
PV Sindhu lost to Japan's Akane Yamaguchi in three games
aguchi levelled the proceedings to
force a decider. The Japnese shuttler found her rhythm and never
let Sindhu regroup.
In the final game, Sindhu trailed
from the beginning. In the end, Yamaguchi had five match points,
Madappa, Rashid
and Avani book
Asian Games berths
PTI / Bengaluru
Viraj Madappa and Rashid Khan
kept their nerves and held their rivals at bay to earn the coveted
Asian Games berths in golf after a
gruelling five-round affair.
From the women's section, amateur Avani Prashanth booked her
AIFF general secretary Das gets
clean chit in molestation case
PTI / New Delhi
All India Football Federation
general
secretary
Kushal Das has been cleared
of the charge of molesting
employees at workplace by the sports body's
integrity officer, who termed the allegations "frivolous and devoid of truth" in his
report.
Entrepreneur Ranjit Bajaj, who previously
owned I-League club Minerva Punjab FC,
had alleged that Das had molested employees
at workplace, a charge that was outrightly denied by the AIFF and its top official.
"All the presiding officers of committee
namely Shanta Gopinath, Jyotsna Gupta,
Indu Chaudhry and Col Mehta, AGS Admin
were questioned,” AIFF's integrity officer,
Javed Siraj said. “All of them have stated
that no complaint of sexual harassment
was received against Mr Kushal Das.”
PIC: AFP
which she duly converted.
The head-to-head between Sindhu and Yamaguchi is now 13-9 in
the Indian's favour.
With Sindhu's defeat, India's
challenge at the individual continental championship has ended.
ticket to the Games. Avani continued her impressive march as she
shot a steady final round of 1-under
71 and finished ahead of Jahanvi
Bakshi, who, after four identical
cards of 69, shot 70 on the final day.
Madappa, who shot each of his five
rounds under par with cards of 66-6871-69-67, pipped Rashid to the post as
four best rounds were counted and
for that he was two ahead. Of his five
rounds, Madappa's third round of 71
was discarded, while in the case of
Rashid (68-73-67-66-71), the second
round was discarded.
S Ezhilarasi of Tamil Nadu
emerged winner in the
women's 10m air pistol competition while Haryana's
Shikha Narwal won in the
junior section at the the national selection shooting
trials here on Saturday.
Haryana's Palak claimed
the top prize in the youth
section, comfortably getting
the better of state-mate
Rhythm Sangwan 17-9 in
the gold medal round.
Ezhilarasi shot 16 to prevail over Haryana's Palak
(12) in the gold medal contest at the Dr Karni Singh
Shooting Range.
In the final stage elimination, Palak topped with
253.5 and Ezhilarasi followed her with a score of
252.2.
Yuvika Tomar of Uttar
Pradesh finished third with
248.9 while Haryana's Sangwan settled for the fourth
place with a total score of
248.4.
Narwal, who also competed in the senior category,
was sixth with 196.4.
While she could not finish
high in the seniors, Narwal
claimed the top prize in the
junior section, beating Yuvika Tomar 16-12 in the gold
medal match.
New bid provides late twist to
enforced sale of Chelsea
AP / London
A late bid to buy Chelsea
was launched by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe even
as the sale process was
reaching its end-game with
the selection of a preferred
bidder for the English Premier League club.
Ratcliffe has bid 2.5 billion
pounds ($3.1 billion) —
around the same price being
offered by rival investors —
while also pledging to invest
1.75 billion pounds ($2.2 billion) in the 2021 Champions
League winner over the next
10 years to try to maintain
FOOTBALL ROUND-UP
Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes
(left) tries to edge past
Liverpool’s Sadio Mane.
Liverpool won 1-0.
PIC: AFP
the successes enjoyed during Abramovich's 19 years
as owner.
Rahul Tewatia (43 not out) and David Miller (39 not out) saw GT
home against RCB on Saturday
PIC: IPL, BCCI
Pace sensation Malik
in focus as SRH play
struggling CSK
PTI / Mumbai
261
Sindhu goes down fighting, settles for bronze
SPORTS CAFE
CRICKET
IPL
3.30: DC vs LSG, Live on Star Sports
DC eye collective batting
effort, LSG look to come
out of Rahul’s shadows
Delhi Capitals would expect more from their batters
after an underwhelming display in their previous win, while Lucknow Super Giants must
be eager to shrug off overdependence on
skipper KL Rahul when the two teams
clash in the IPL here on Sunday.
Delhi have endured a tough
couple of weeks with a mini
Covid outbreak in their
camp and a no-ball controversy,
however, Rishabh Pant and
his troops came out from it
Runs scored by
to march to a four-wicket
David Warner in 6
win over Kolkata Knight
games for DC so far
Riders.
this season
While the win boosted the
Capitals’, who are sixth on the points table, play-off
chances, the middle order collapse while chasing an
easy total will be a cause of concern.
David Warner continued his sparkling form but his fellow
opener Prithvi Shaw, who despite looking in good touch, hasn't been able to convert his starts.
LSG, meanwhile, are on course to sealing a play-offs berth,
sitting at No. 3 on the points table with six wins from nine
outings. However, LSG will hope they can breakaway from
the overdependence on captain Rahul.
BRIEF SCORES: Rajasthan
Royals 158 for 6 in 20 overs
(Jos Buttler 67 off 52 balls, Riley
Meredith 2-24) lost to Mumbai
Indians 161 for 5 in 19.2 overs
(Suryakumar Yadav 51; R Ashwin
1-21) by five wickets.
WHAT’S
ing with figures of 2-19,
while Rashid Khan gave
away just 29 runs in his four
over to check the flow of
runs in the middle overs.
GT were off to a sound start
with Wriddhiman Saha (31)
and Shubman Gill (29) putting on 51 runs before Wanindu Hasaranga effected the
first breakthrough by removing the former.
Left-arm spinner Shahbaz
Ahmed had Shubman Gill
trapped in front of the wicket. GT skipper Hardik
Pandya (3) once again got out
cheaply, falling to Shahbaz.
Sai Sudharsan chipped in
with a 14-ball 20 before
Hasaranga picked up his second wicket, the batter caught
PTI / Mumbai
to keep MI in the hunt, before Tim David (20) finished the job.
For MI, Riley Meredith
(2-24) accounted for two
wickets, while debutant
spinner Kumar Kartikeya
impressed with his one for
19 in his four overs and
Daniel
Sams
(1-32)
snapped one.
Hrithik Shokeen too
took two but he went for
too many runs, while pace
spearhead Jasprit Bumrah (0-27) too was on the
mark.
KALYANI: Gokulam Kerala came from a goal
down to hold Churchill Brothers FC to a 1-1
stalemate in the I-League here on Saturday.
Ikechukwu Kenneth Ngwoke broke the
deadlock by scoring the opener in the 15th
minute. However, his goal was cancelled out
by Jourdain Fletcher. Gokulam Kerala
dominated the game in terms of ball
possessions (69%) and shots on target (13)
but they were forced to settle for a draw in
the end.
not out) and David Miller
(39 not out) did the job for
GT after the table toppers
were struggling at 95 for
four in the 13th over. With 16
points which has been the
magic mark, Titans are well
on course towards a toptwo finish.
On the day, Kohli made 58
off 53 balls before walking
back to the dugout amid a
standing ovation at the
Wankhede Stadium.
Rajat Patidar blasted a 32ball 52 — his maiden IPL
fifty — while Glenn
Maxwell blazed away to 33
in 18 deliveries to prop up
RCB
The returning
Pradeep Sangwan was excellent with the ball, finish-
West Ham identify
unruly fans
London: West Ham have
given police the names of
two fans who allegedly
struck two German radio
journalists at London Stadium while broadcasting a
Europa League semifinal
match. The Premier League
club investigated after the
commentators reported on
air that they were punched
by fans seated behind them
during West Ham's 2-1 loss
to Eintracht Frankfurt in
the first leg of the semifinals on Thursday.
The great Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be back at
the helm of affairs as a struggling Chennai Super
Kings take on an Umran Malik-inspired Sunrisers
Hyderabad in an Indian Premier League match
here on Sunday.
The reins of CSK were handed back to the fourtime IPL winning captain after Ravindra Jadeja on
Saturday relinquished the role following the team's six losses in eight matches in the ongoing edition.
While all eyes will be on Dhoni to change the fate of CSK it
will be easier said then done as they face SRH, who have been
inspired by the performance of pace sensation Malik, who has
outsmarted the top batters of the world with his brutal pace.
His 5-25 show against Gujarat Titans, albeit in a losing cause, is
considered one of the best bowling displays in the IPL history.
The right-arm tearaway pacer from Jammu has become
talk of the ongoing IPL after clocking over 150 kmph consistently. He has so far picked up 15 wickets from eight matches
at a strike rate of 12.00.
But despite his heroics with the ball, SRH eventually fell
short by five runs against Gujarat Titans in their last game.
And come Sunday, Malik would look for more support from
his pacer colleagues Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Marco Jansen
and T Natarajan. Jansen, in particular, was the culprit as he
failed to defend 22 runs off the last over against Gujarat with
Rashid Khan going hammer and tongs.
Mumbai Radar
Steady Razmi starts
off with easy victory
FPJ NEWS SERVICE
Current National junior billiards and snooker champion Rayaan Razmi playing
with a handicap of -400
points displayed a cool temperament and consistency in
winning his opening Group
‘G’ league match, defeating
Mahesh Jagdale (handicap 300) of ECC, by a 250-99 margin in the race to 250 points
format, of the SPG-PCL Billiards Tournament, played
at
the
Shivaji
Park
Gymkhana and Park Club
billiards halls.
The lanky cueist, Rayaan
showed excellent touch and
constructed sizeable runs
of 113 and 72 and three
smaller efforts to warm up
nicely for the bigger challenges ahead.
Meanwhile,
top
guns
Dhruv Sitwala and Ashok
Shandilaya made a bright
start, winning their respective group matches.
Rayaan Razmi showed a lot of
composure during his win
RESULTS (SELECT)
Group-A: Dhruv Sitwala (-650)
beat Manoj Kasare (KG, -170)
250-131.
Group-D: Ashok Shandilya (350) beat Anand Raghuvanshi
(PJHG, -170) 250-92.
Group-G: Rovin D'Souza
(Western Railway, -275) beat
Vishal Madan (CG, -425) 250162. Rayaan Razmi (ECC, -400)
beat Mahesh Jagdale (ECC, 300) 250-99.
Kushwaha to lock
horns with Kadam
in Pro final
Vikrant Kushwaha scored a
hard fought win over Bombay Gymkhana’s Rajan
Samant to enter the professional men’s singles final of
the 28th G D Birla Memorial
Masters Inter-Club Badminton Tournament.
Kushwaha, who prevailed
21-19, 21-19 will now meet
Ashay Kadam, who beat
Premal Mankar 21-14, 21-19,
in the final.
Khar Gymkhana’s
Kabir
Khubchandani set the pool
on fire, clinching six gold
medals in the boys’ under-11
category of the 35th Otters
Club’s Swimming Championships, held at their pool, at
Bandra on Saturday. Kabir
topped in all the six events
that he took part, winning the
50m backstroke, breast stroke,
butterfly, free style and 100m
free style events as well as
200m individual medley
events. This is the first swimming event after two years
due to the Covid-19 crisis.
An excellent bowling display by Parth Chandan (444), including a hat-trick,
and Yash Kripal’s 3-44,
proved effective as Dr DY
Patil snatched a close 3wicket victory against
OMNI Global SM in a second round Group ‘B’
match of the 2nd LNCC
OMNI Global Invitational
Under-22 Invitation Cricket tournament 2021-2022,
played at the Karnataka
Sporting
Association
ground, in Cross Maidan
on Saturday.
Kabir bags six gold
Ketan Patel and Rajendra
Naik in action
Parth claims hat-trick
Printed and Published by Girdharlal Lakhotia for the Proprietors, Indian National Press (Bombay) P. Ltd., at Journal Press, Free Press House, Free Press Journal Marg, 215, Nariman Point, Mumbai-400 021. Tel: 69028000, Advt. Dept. 69028026. E-mail: mail@fpj.co.in • OFFICE: Indore: 3/54, Press Complex, A. B. Road, Indore-452 008, Tel: 2555111-2, Fax: 2558555,
New Delhi: 1/8 INS Bldg., Rafi Marg, New Delhi-110 001; Tel.: 23718853; Kolkata: Tel.: 22875645; Chennai: Tel: 28217766; Bhopal: Tel: 2660570, 4271345. Transportation charges Rs. 2.00 only. Managing Editor: Girdharlal Lakhotia. Editor: S. S. DHAWAN. Reg. No. MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 46955/1988
JEE Main admit card to be declared soon
Data strategy: A must for companies
The admit cards for the Joint Entrance
Examination (Main) 2022 Session 1
will be out anytime soon. All the
candidates who have applied for JEE
Main 2022 session 1 can download
MUMBAI | SUNDAY | MAY 1, 2022
I
n the age of analytical competition,
business models are gaining a competitive advantage (CA) and are directly related to organisations’ data strategy
processes. Incorporating a data strategy enables the organisation to unlock the potential value of data analytics. Data strategy is
defined
as
organising,
governing,
analysing, and deploying the information
assets of an organisation. An organisation
that makes extensive and systematic use of
analyses to outperform its competition is
defined as an analytical competitor.
The three levels of value creation from
data: Data as a tool, data as an industry, and
data as a strategy i.e development of organisations dedicated to building data resources
that enable them to develop radically innovative business models. There is no one-sizefits-all approach when it comes to deciding
on data strategy. Crafting data strategy is not
a stand-alone activity. It goes back to the basics of first understanding; what are the key
goals and objectives of the organisation and
how to leverage data to make the organisation realise the objectives.
The planning for data strategy also includes key decisions like which data points
are important for decision making, how
data will be acquired, where it will be
stored, who gets the access to data, and so eas of using data to practice provided it is
on. Then comes the overarching decision of in line with the overall goal of the organiusing tools, techniques, and analytical sation. It’s important to start with identifyskills, which will help derive the insights ing “why” an organisation needs to use
from data. The decision on the analytical data, exploring the wide range of possibiliprocess also drills down to the fact - what ties of getting it done, analytical techniques
are the core business needs of the organi- to choose, and keeping in mind regulatory
sation and how can data enable a more in- and ethical considerations. So, the organisation needs to hone its skills
formed decision.
in developing data strategy
Incorporating the data strateand developing plans and
gy enables the organisation to
processes geared toward realunlock the potential value of
ising organisational goals and
data analytics which is often
objectives.
measured in terms of profData is an integral part of deitability, ownership, market
cision making; right from congrowth, growth, innovation,
tact tracing to bringing back to
leadership cost, product and
work, predicting changes in deservice quality, delivery cycle
mand to provide visibility into
time, customer satisfaction,
PRIYANKA SHRIVASTAVA the supply chain. Innovations
flexibility and speed in meeting
backed by Data, Analytics, and
demands relating to the main
DATA TALK
AI have become key to the succompetitors. There are six
main areas where data can be put to work in cess of organisations.
With the increased pace of Digital Transany organisation.
These are decision making, understand- formation, companies have access to large
ing customers, and markets, launching data sets but do not completely understand
smarter products, making intelligent serv- how to unleash the power of data. Any orices, improving business processes & oper- ganisation can continue doing blue-sky
ations, and monetising data. An organisa- thinking to explore creative ways of utilistion can choose to use one or all the six ar- ing data, but it should lead with the right
the admit card from the official
websites -- jeemain.nta.nic.in and
nta.ac.in. As per the revised schedule,
the JEE Main 2022 session 1 will be
held on June 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25,
strategy. Trying to utilise data in a rush
without knowing the result of burying
heads in the sand and ignoring the datadriven outcomes in both situations will not
lead to a positive result.
Trying to harness the power of data without a data strategy is like boiling the ocean.
A data strategy encompasses what an organisation wants to do with data and decides top strategic priorities for data backed
by key organisational objectives.
Conclusion: In the past, we tried to understand how the organisations analysed the
available data by using descriptive analytics. Descriptive analytics helps the organisation to understand the past. With the
availability of big data, we entered the area
of predicting the future outcome. It uses different tools and techniques such as mathematical science, algorithm, machine learning, and computational modeling techniques. With the understanding of descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics,
businesses find better-informed decisions
that take into account future outcomes.
(Priyanka Shrivastava is Professor of
Marketing and Analytics at Hult
International Business School,
San Francisco, USA.)
To be or not to be Admission date extended till May 10
at education fairs T
REPORTER’S DIARY
RIGHT TO EDUCATION
CHAITALI DHARAMSHI
I
ABHISHEK NAIR
nternational
education for Indians had almost come to a standstill for a year or so – at
least the hubbub around
it. And that meant the din
of education fairs and the
hustle of consultants on
the overdrive was but a
distant cry. During the
silent pandemic months,
the virtual fairs, and aspirants and university representatives met quietly
and politely online to take
matters ahead.
But the uproar is back
and it sounds like sweet
music, at least to aspirants
and their parents, not to
forget universities.
As a reporter who covers
education, I have seen, witnessed, and covered both
kinds of education fairs –
offline and online and to be
honest, both have their
brownie points. Because
line fair. “One can attend
so many and save time.”
I attended a UK virtual
study fair recently, that
was organised by Envision Overseas, on Friday
which made me realise
that despite challenges
with internet connectivity, audibility, and other
tech-related issues, most
of the students knew exactly what they wanted to
pursue. Students or rather
aspirants are also seemingly more aware of
which universities can
cater to their needs. This
was in stark contrast to
what I observed with inperson study fairs, where
students were still deciding on what choice to
make concerning the
programmes and universities that can suit them
best.
A phenomenon such as
this can only be explained
by the short window pro-
he deadline to confirm and submit
documents for admission under the Right to
Education (RTE) has been
extended from April 29 to
May 10, 2022, according to
a circular released on Friday by the Director of Primary Education, Pune, Mr.
Dinkar Temkar. The department has stated that
this is the last time the admission date will be extended; there will be no
further extensions.
In Mumbai, a total of 343
schools have registered for
RTE, including BMC and
DYD schools. Parents of
students who have been selected in the lottery round
can approach the allotted
schools with the required
documents after getting it
verified by the verification
committee.
The online lottery of the
RTE
25%
admission
process for the academic
year 2022-23 was drawn on
March 30, 2022, at Maharashtra State Council for
Educational Research and
Training, Pune. The selection and waiting list were
announced on April 4 on
the official RTE portal.
The RTE portal has released the selection list of
90688 students and the
waiting list of 69859 students. In addition, 200 disabled students have been
chosen.
Messages were sent to
the parents of the children
on the waiting and the selection list. Previously, the
deadline for admission
was April 20, but due to the
demand of many parents
and parent organisations,
the deadline has been extended. To avoid student
academic loss, the administration will finish the
RTE 25 per cent admission
procedure for the current
academic year by Septem-
ber 30, 2022.
RTE admissions reserves
25% of seats in recognised
private schools from primary sections to Class 8.
Students in Maharashtra
can get a quality education
regardless of their financial circumstances under
RTE Quota.
26, 27, 28 and 29, 2022. Earlier, JEE
(Main) - 2022 session 1 was scheduled
to be conducted on April 21, 24, 25,
29 and May 1, 4.
FPJ Education Desk
Mumbai student recalls
harrowing experience of
unsuccessful admission
to foreign university
I
dreamt of studying able to travel. This promptabroad, completing ed me to ask for a refund
my Masters and com- from the consultancy
ing back to India with a which refuted my worries
sense of pride. It’s a unique and asked me to apply for a
circumstance where a girl visa.
from our family wants to
Months went by and
pursue education overseas, there was no word on the
while also being supported status of my visa applicawholeheartedly by the tion until I came to know
members. But things didn’t that a few colleges were
go as planned.
banned in Quebec over
The reports about the clo- some financial issues. I was
sure of three Canadian in- put in the “Other” category
stitutions in Quebec have along with more than 500
been covered by different students who are not eliginews organisations in the ble to get their refunds due
country. Students from to denial of visa. The news
Punjab and Haryana, who came as a shock to me as I
comprised the majority of had already spent so much
the individumoney on my
als who took
tuition
and
admission to
visa fees.
these universiIt was a menties, protested
tally harrownot only in difing experience
ferent cities in
for me, unlike
Canada but
students
in
also in the
Punjab
and
state of PunHaryana I had
jab. I am one of
no one to
the thousands
share my trouBHAVNA MEHAROLIYA
of students afbles with.
fected by the
It’s
been
MY SPACE
closure,
the
more than two
only difference is that I am years since I first took adfrom Mumbai.
mission in M College. Not a
While students in Punjab day goes by when I don’t
and Haryana are support- think about the amount of
ing each other in getting re- money and time I have had
funds or visa approvals, I to waste over the incident.
have not been able to find While some students in
anyone willing to push our Canada and Punjab are eicause as there aren’t any ther able to enroll themstudents, except for me, selves in the colleges under
who have applied from new management or get
Mumbai to any of the three their refunds from consulCanadian institutions.
tancies, I have been runIt all started with a call ning pillar to post, nervous
from a local consultancy and scared about my futhat offered me to enroll in ture.
a good Canadian college
I am currently working in
named M College of Cana- a corporate firm to pay my
da in Quebec. Accommoda- bills and become an earntion, a free laptop, and a ing member of the family,
free airport pick up inter- but sleepless nights and
ested me as a girl who distressed parents, only
wants to remain safe in a make matters worse. My
foreign country. In Febru- calls to the consultancy
ary 2020, I paid around have also been ignored or
8,50,000 INR to the college denied to the point where
so that I can make the trip they have completely abto Canada by May 2020 and solved themselves of any
pursue Project Manage- responsibilities.
ment in Graphic CommuI wish there was a magic
nications.
wand that could resolve all
The lockdown across the my issues in an instant as I
globe due to the Covid pan- still wish to learn and prosdemic made me skeptical of per, and put this incident
my trip to Canada as I was behind me. If only it was
unsure when I would be that easier.
Beijing allows Indian students to return to Chinese varsities
I
there is just one plea that
can be heard universally in
both and that is – “I want to
go abroad for better opportunities.”
Compared to fairs held
earlier, education fairs appear to have more participants these days – be it online or the other. This, I
was told, is because loans
are more freely available
and in urban spaces, it is
almost a given that ‘study
abroad’ is the only path to
get ‘ahead’. Study fairs are
the perfect meeting point
for aspirants and university/college officials. During
the fairs I have attended so
far, I have generally asked
which kind of ‘fair’ works
better. Students and parents are divided over their
preferences. During Covid,
of course, there was no
choice and everyone had to
apply online but now that
the physical fairs are coming back, there is an interest to visit.
Though there are some
who only attend online
fairs. They say the heat,
travel, and the crowds are
a put-off and what is ‘told’
at the fairs is also on the
college websites so, “why
go to an event only to hear
what we already know,”
said one candidate. Another candidate said it is
cheaper to attend an on-
vided by the organiser during virtual study fairs,
wherein students only
have a limited amount of
time to discuss their
queries. Yet, one must admit that offline university
fairs, which are often conducted in high-end hotels
or halls, still create a lot of
excitement in people. Such
study fairs though not always fruitful helps create
connections as students
can open up a lot more
than they usually would in
a virtual fair. Also, aspirants meet other aspirants
and there is general talk
about ‘what is new’ and of
course, there are parents
asking each other questions and also the organisers.
With more study fairs
lined up in April-May 2022,
I am eager to witness the
attitudes and preferences
of different students amid
the resurgence of interest
in studying abroad postCovid. Virtual or non-virtual, a new wave of universities from countries such
as the US, UK, Canada,
Australia,
and
New
Zealand are competing
among themselves to grab
the coveted position of being a global hub in international education and Indian students are here to witness it.
AGENCIES
Beijing
ndian students enrolled in Chinese universities heaved a sigh of
relief with Beijing announcing
plans to allow the return of "some" of
them who have been stranded in India for over two years following the
visa and flight restrictions imposed
by Beijing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rohit Kumar Yadav, an MBBS student at Shihezi University, said he is
relieved and happy that he will be
able to return to campus and appear
in offline exams.
"Medicine is a practical-oriented
course and despite all the efforts by
universities to make online classes
more interactive, it is not the same
kind of exposure... I am glad this difficult phase will end and I will be able
to return to campus and also appear
in offline exams," he said.
A student of the University of
South China in Hengyang, who did
not wish to be identified, said, "The
past two years have been very difficult not only personally but also academically. I hope it's all over now and
we can get back to normal campus
life."
"We have been asked to submit required information by filling up a
Google Form on the Indian Embassy's website. Even if our return is
in phases, it's a welcome move," said a
student of Harbin Medical University. "The chances of fourth-year and final-year students returning to campuses are high as they require practi-
cal experience more than first- or second-year students," he added.
According to earlier reports, over
23,000 Indian students, mostly studying medicine in Chinese colleges, are
stuck in India after they returned
home as the coronavirus pandemic
broke out in the central Chinese city
of Wuhan in December 2019. They
could not return to China due to the
restrictions imposed by the Chinese
government to arrest the spread of
the contagion.
Since then, they made desperate attempts to return to China to re-join
their classes but had to confine themselves to online classes as Beijing cancelled all flights and visas for Indians.
Besides the students, hundreds of
families of Indians working in China
too were stuck back home in view of
China cancelling visas and flights
from India.
In a joint notice issued on March 25,
the All-India Council for Technical
Education (AICTE) and the University Grants Commission (UGC) asked
Indian students to "exercise due diligence" with respect to universities in
China in the wake of COVID-19 imposed travel restrictions by the Chinese government.
"Our university had conveyed earlier that courses will be conducted online.... UGC and AICTE do not recognise such degree courses done only in
online mode without prior approval.
I was worried about this," said Neeraj Kumar, an MBBS student.
Following the Chinese announcement, the Indian Embassy in Beijing
sought the details of the students in-
tending to return.
"Following the meeting of External
Affairs Minister of India, Dr. S. Jaishankar with the State Councillor and
Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China, Wang Yi on 25 March
2022, the Chinese side has expressed
its willingness to consider facilitating
the return of Indian students to China on a need-assessed basis," the Indian Embassy said in a statement on
Friday.
In order to facilitate this (return),
the Indian Embassy intends to prepare a list of such students which will
be shared with the Chinese side for
their consideration. Therefore, Indian students are requested to provide
necessary information by filling up
the Google Form, latest by 08 May
2022, it said.
– PTI
IHC forms separate commission to Darul Uloom Deoband makes police
address grievances of Baloch students verification mandatory for admission
I
AGENCIES / Islamabad
slamabad High Court (IHC) on
Thursday announced the formation of a separate commission, to address the grievances put
forward by the Baloch students of
Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU),
reported a local media.
The Chief Justice of Islamabad
HC, Athar Minallah agreed to
form a commission after rights
activist and lawyer Imaan Zainab
Mazari-Hazir filed a petition
against the harassment of the
Baloch students protesting over
the disappearance of Hafiz
Baloch, one of their colleagues accompanied by constant harassment issues. The commission will
be headed by Chairman Senate
Sadiq Sanjrani, reported the
Dawn newspaper. According to
the court order, apart from Senate
chairman Sadiq Sanjrani other
members who will comprise the
commission include, former senator Afrasiab Khattak, Asad
Umar, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's
central secretary-general, Nasir
Khosa, Balochistan's former chief
secretary, along with other human rights ministries and interior secretaries.
Meanwhile, the petition submitted by the QAU students stated
that the Pakistani authorities
across the country are holding
them accountable for the disappearances and subjecting them to
racial profiling, based on their
ethnicity alone. As a form of harassment, the Baloch students reported that they were forbidden
from visiting their hometowns. If
they did not comply, they were
threatened to be abducted, reported the Dawn newspaper.
In relation to the racial discrimination, a student at the National
University of Modern Languages
in Islamabad, Bebgar Imdad, was
picked up from Punjab University
while Dildar Baloch, another student was also picked up from
Karachi, based on zero evidence.
The Islamabad HC said that the
claims of the students were justified, adding that ethnic profiling
serves as the worst form of human rights violation and that the
Constitution would not support it
at any cost. The court also agreed
that the issue has been pending
for a long while, owing to the negligence of the public functionaries, announcing a probe into the
matter with immediate efficacy,
reported as per the Dawn newspaper.
"The commission shall enquire
and investigate into the grievances of students belonging to the
province of Balochistan regarding racial profiling, enforced disappearances and lack of security
while visiting their hometowns.
The commission shall thereafter
formulate recommendations and
submit its report before the
court," the court order stated.
Further hearing in the matter
was adjourned till May 13. – ANI
D
AGENCIES / Saharanpur
arul Uloom Deoband, an Islamic
educational institution, has
made this year's admission
process more stringent by mandating
police verification of the documents
submitted by applicants, the institute's
management announced on Friday.
"Students seeking admission this year
will have to submit their documents, including their Aadhaar cards, original
residence certificates and an affidavit,
which would be checked and verified by
government agencies, including the Local Intelligence Unit (LIU) of the police,"
Darul Uloom's Naib Mohtamim (Deputy
Vice Chancellor) Maulana Abdul Khaliq
Madrasi said in a statement.
Those seeking admission will have to
submit their previous madrasa certificates, the mark sheets obtained from
there and the Aadhaar cards of the applicants and their fathers including
their mobile numbers, he said.
In case the ID is found wrong, the student will not only be expelled but legal
action can also be taken against him.
Talking about the outstation students,
Madrasi said, "No one is exempted in
this regard."
"Students of Jammu and Kashmir,
West Bengal, Manipur, Tripura, Assam
etc. will (also) have to bring their original residence certificates and affidavits,
without which the admission process
will not be completed," he added.
Those who cannot submit the required
documents should not come for admission because such students will not be
enrolled, Madrasi said.
Darul Uloom is a leading Islamic seminary in India where the Sunni Deobandi Islamic movement began. It is located
in Deoband, a town in Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh.
The seminary was established by
Muhammad Qasim Nanautavi, Fazlur
Rahman Usmani, Sayyid Muhammad
Abid and others in 1866.
– PTI
merican filmmaker Jon Watts, who was set to direct the rebooted version of the
Fantastic Four film, has opted out of the project. In a statement, Jon said, “Making
three Spider-Man films was an incredible and life-changing experience for me. I’m
eternally grateful to have been a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe for seven
years. I’m hopeful we’ll work together again, and I can’t wait to see the amazing vision
for Fantastic Four brought to life.” Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Fantastic Four
launched Marvel Comics in 1961. The comic may have succeeded quickly, but its adaptation
to the big screen hasn’t really worked till date as much as other films from Marvel. — ANI
PIC: INSTAGRAM/KANGANARANAUT
LIPIKA VARMA
T
he trailer of Kangana Ranaut’s Dhaakad was released recently. The film also stars Arjun Rampal and is directed by
Razneesh Ghai. It will hit screens on May 20. The Free
Press Journal caught up with the actress at the mega
event. Excerpts:
MOVES!
What challenges did you take on to make this possible?
In so many ways, the world is also ready for women
to take the lead. That is one aspect of it. Another is
that I have had my own fair share of lower points
when I refused a lot of male-centric films, you
know, Khan-led films or Kumar-led films, all
kinds of big hero films. I always had this vision
that this (pointing towards the Dhaakad poster)
is possible. Of course, I did not plan it, but I had
the vision. I can’t execute it alone; you need
The actress opens up
about her upcoming film
Dhaakad, physical
challenges she underwent
for the role, and more
A still from Dhaakad
somebody like Razneesh Ghai and (producers)
Deepak Mukut and Sohel Maklai. I’d say that for a
woman to have a successful journey, so many men support her. So, it is a combination of many things.
Go on...
It has been a long-standing dream of mine to take up challenging parts and be part of movies that change the norm.
Dhaakad is one such film. I enjoyed playing Agent Agni, who
stops at nothing. Dhaakad is a genre-defining film, and we’ve
worked very hard to create something that lived up to the
dream that we had envisioned. Agent Agni is a force of nature
and embodies the strength within us, and the film is a celebration of grit and power.
How physically challenging was it to perform this role?
Coming from Thalaivii, it was very challenging for me. I took
my body for granted, and I had gained 70 kgs. I was almost 33 after that, and this weight was difficult to lose. I had to train for
action. At that point in time, I was shocked to know that my
body did not have the agility and stamina needed to do this action role. I was like a hero who bounces back, which you usually witness in fitness films.
Noorani
NAWAZ
ROHIT BHATNAGAR
N
The actor reveals
that his next film
opposite Nupur
Sanon, is a beautiful
love story
PICS: INSTAGRAM/NUPURSANON
killer
Kangana’s
WEEKEND|SUNDAY|MAY 1, 2022
A
Spider-Man
fame Jon Watts
will not direct
Fantastic Four
awazuddin Siddiqui, who is the
only saving grace
in the disastrous
Heropanti 2, has always managed to stun the
audience with his spectacular acting, even if the
film is a sham. After doing
a series of experimental
and serious roles, the actor
has been very busy these
days in completing the
shooting schedule of his
upcoming romantic projects.
Sometime back, he took
to his social media and
shared wrap-up glimpses
of the film Noorani Chehra
Nawazuddin Siddiqui with Nupur Sanon on the
that he was shooting for
sets of Noorani Chehra
and also penned down a
heartfelt note for the team.
the debut of Nupur Sanon, sister
The Free Press Journal caught
of actress Kriti Sanon. It also stars
up with the actor after he reSonnalli Seygall. Meanwhile,
turned to Mumbai from the shoot.
Nawazuddin is garnering love for
An elated Nawazuddin shares,
his role as Laila in the high octane
“It was a great experience shootactioner Heropanti 2. The actor
ing the film. It is a beautiful love
also has Tiku Weds Sheru in his
story with an extremely talented
kitty, the shoot of which he recentstar cast. It is probably my first
ly wrapped up. The film is profilm where such great actors are
duced by Kangana Ranaut and also
sharing screen space. I am sure
stars Avneet Kaur.
people will love
He also has Sudhir Mishra and
the songs of
Anubhav Sinha’s quirky comedy
the film.”
Noorani
Afwaah with Bhumi Pednekar
Chehra
and Sabbir Khan’s supernatural
will also
horror film Adbhut alongside
mark
Shreya Dhanwanthary.
In the past, Rekha and Hema Malini too have done action films.
What is your take?
Of course, they’ve been great. They’ve been amazing for
their times. What we are doing today is because of them,
and they have carved the way for us. They have made
way for the privileges that we enjoy today as leading
ladies. Now our duty is to take it forward for the
coming generation and take it a notch higher,
where we don’t only get the privileges of
leading ladies, but the privileges of a hero
on set.
How would you react if a biopic is made on
your life?
Do you agree that there is pay parity for
females in the film industry and all over?
PIC: VIRAL BHAYANI
I am sure I am not underpaid. This
makes me feel all the men have helped
me through this journey. Earlier, at
times, I did think, why don’t I get paid
equally like the heroes at this stage of my
life? But now, happily, I can say that I am
not underpaid.
Truly Traditional
MONOCHROME
She opted for a white
saree with a tube black
blouse for a high-end
event. The stunning
actress kept her hair
open and donned a
million-dollar smile to
complete the look.
Here are actress Shweta Tripathi Sharma’s
best ethnic looks in recent times
C
ROHIT BHATNAGAR
ommanding a space
comes naturally to
Shweta Tripathi Sharma, be it the cinema
or the fashion world.
While we keep obsessing over
the actress’ powerhouse talent, she never misses a
Caught on Camera!
Glitterati were snapped as they
were out and about in Mumbai
PICS: VIRAL BHAYANI
My life is very dramatic. If a film is
made about my life, then I think it will
be a blockbuster. I don’t know when it
will be in the making as I have a lot to
achieve.
Madhuri Dixit Nene
at Chhatrapati
Shivaji Maharaj
International
Airport
Suniel
Shetty
chance to stun us with her offcamera sartorial choices. Now
that the on-ground events and
promotions are in full swing,
the fashionista is serving us
with serious inspiration. The
Free Press Journal picks
four looks of Shweta where
she blew our minds with her
ethnic numbers.
Ananya
Panday
SUNSHINE
She looked like a human form
of sunshine in a bright yellow
ensemble. An embellished
choli beautifully paired with a
floral dupatta has all our
hearts! Accentuating the
look, the actress braided
her hair in a unique
style with
colourful
accessories.
H
TWITTER TREND
OF THE DAY
ollywood actress Gal Gadot, best
known for playing the titular role
in Wonder Woman, turned a year
older on April 30. Her fans across the
globe took to the microblogging site to
wish the former Miss Israel on her
special day.
SAAD KHAN: “Happy birthday to my
Wonderful
b’day wishes
favourite lady #GalGadot.”
STALLION #REBELMOON: Happy
birthday to @GalGadot, our great
Amazonian warrior.”
RENAN CHRISTIAN: “Happy 37th
PRETTY IN PINK
In one of the looks,
she chose an
embellished lehenga
with a same-hued
tube blouse! The
sleek hairdo and
minimal jewellery did
the rest of the trick.
FLORAL
MAGIC
She looked nothing less than
a dream in a floral pink
lehenga. The tightly braided
hair with colour bangles
added a mystic charm to
the overall stunning
outfit.
Birthday to the lovely and one of the
most gorgeous women ever, Gal
Gadot! #GalGadot #Legs #Goddess.”
MARDOQUEU TARGINO: “A Happy
37th Birthday to @GalGadot and
Have a Wonderful Day!”
TASAWAR KHAN: “Happy Birthday to
the most vibrant, vivacious, sparkingly,
sparingly captivating and cool actress,
our wonder woman. Happy b’day
queen @GalGadot.”
— CJ DESK
Karanvir Sharma
Karan Kundrra with
Tejasswi Prakash
ONLY STRENGTH
AND LOVE
Cooking up a storm
WEEKEND|SUNDAY|MAY 1, 2022
N
LIPIKA VARMA
eetu Kapoor is currently seen as
a judge in the reality show Dance
Deewane Juniors. In a recent interaction with The Free Press
Journal, she spoke about her marriage with the late Rishi Kapoor, son
Ranbir Kapoor, and more. Excerpts:
Have you missed your childhood life as
you started working at a very early
age?
Mera childhood kahan tha? I have been
working since I was five years of age. So
there were no friends. No childhood
playful stuff at all. Then I started working with my husband (the late Rishi
Kapoor). My career started with him,
so, in those seven years, we did 80
movies.
You set an example of adjusting with
Rishiji and the Kapoor family. What do
you have to say?
I started dating my husband when I was
14 when I didn’t know anything about
this world. I had a very strict mother. I
was getting a lot of work and maturing
as an actor. My husband was like, ‘Yeh
toh nikal gayi haath se abhi yeh toh
kahin chali jayegi!' (She will slip off my
hand and go away somewhere). He proposed to get mar-
Neetu Kapoor with
son Ranbir Kapoor
Tell us, how was it to get
married and embrace
motherhood at such a
young age?
I got married when I was 21
years, and after that, my
first child (daughter Riddhima Kapoor Sahni) was
born. Then after two
years, Ranbir bhi ho gaya
(Ranbir was born). My life
went on quickly. It got too
busy to be able to make a
comeback to work because
Rishiji was a full-time job!
PICS: INSTAGRAM/NEETU54
Do you agree early
marriages are good? What
would you like to share with
your readers?
Early marriages are good, but aaj
kal ke bachche aisa nahin sochte
hain, na? (Today’s kids don’t
think this way, no?) They feel they
should know the person. My thinking is you grow along together because you are so innocent at a
young age. Maybe, today I
could be completely wrong as
the thinking of today’s youth
is different. I feel we are not
so particular about our
habits. Today there is no
adjustment because you do
not wish to grow together.
If you don’t like your
companion’s habits,
then chalo lets break
up. It’s just not easy
to be fixed with your
own ideas.
T
OSHIN FERNANDES
win singing sensations
Prakriti and Sukriti Kakar
aren’t just loved for their
melodious voices but also for
their toned bodies that inspire
many to lead a healthy lifestyle. The
Free Press Journal caught up with
them for an exclusive chat. Excerpts:
Do twins have similar health issues?
During childhood, even contracting
the smallest of the fever or cough, it’s
always been one of us getting it and
the other person getting it in about a
couple of hours. It’s not just the infectious diseases but also stomach aches
or acidity, I know it’s freaky, but
maybe because we spend all our time
together, we have the same health issues.
How would you describe your take
on health and fitness?
Growing up, we were not so much into
fitness; thank God for a very good
metabolic rate at that time. But of
course, now that we’re ageing, we understand how important it is to stay
fit. Being healthy is a state of mind,
and for us working out has got more to
do with feeling good than looking
good.
What is your current workout
routine?
Prakriti: For the longest time,
dance used to be my form of exercise, but now because you
have to look a certain way
on camera and be lean. I
believe in cardio for my
body type because it instantly shows. When I stop doing it, I feel the difference. I feel
all sorts of bloating.
Sukriti: My sister’s metabolic rate
is slightly better than mine, so I end
up putting on more weight than her,
which is why she barely goes to
the gym, and I go a little more
than her.
ried. I said, ‘Chalo, let’s get married’. I
gave up everything and got married, and
after that, I didn’t think about anything
else. Yes, marriage is an adjustment,
and I was there for the family after
marriage.
Ranbir is taking ahead the legacy of
the Kapoor family. What do you have
to say?
I feel proud. My biggest pride and
driving force is when people say that
he is a good human being. This makes
me feel very happy. Professionally,
about his work, you guys always write
about it.
Healthy twinning
Prakriti and Sukriti Kakar get candid about their
fitness mantras, body positivity, diet, and more
A healthy habit that changed
your life?
Prakriti: It’s called a no-carb diet or
more like a low-carb diet. I don’t know
how healthy it is, but it makes me feel
better. It increases my level of energy
throughout the day. Initially, it just
used to be a protein diet, but this one
suits my body type and makes me
leaner.
Sukriti: Waking up in the
morning and starting
my day with lukewarm water or coconut water. Sometimes I end up skipping my breakfast
because of work and then straight
have lunch.
Do you believe in dieting?
We do not. We both are the sorts who
kind of just get on a diet plan right before the shoot or right before something
extremely important. But I think all in
all, whenever
we’re trav-
elling it gets a little unhealthy because
there are very limited options. However,
at home, we always make sure that we
have healthier items curated for us, and
that’s like a staple diet.
What’s your favourite cheat meal?
Sukriti: I love chaat.
Prakriti: Parathas with a lot of butter
and butter chicken.
Is there anything that you avoid
consuming that isn’t good for the
throat?
Ice is something we avoid in any beverage.
Is it important for singers to look on
par with actors?
I think it’s extremely important. You
know to be an all-rounder in terms of
being a singer, you have to make sure
that your presentation is on point.
What is your definition of body
positivity?
Prakriti: Feeling good in your skin no
matter if you’re whatever colour it
doesn’t matter what shape you’re in. I
genuinely feel like if you’re happy
with the way you look and the way you
feel from inside, that really reflects
you. I know so many people in my life
who are beautiful because they have
beautiful hearts. Everybody should just embrace how they look, but
at the same time, it’s
very important to be a
little conscious of
health.
Sukriti: Your body listens to you, so you talk
good words to it. If you constantly hate on your body, it’s going to show. If you constantly love
your body it is going to show.
Have you ever been told to change
or alter your appearance?
A lot of people have particularly
asked us to do a lip filler and get a
nose job.
S
ANITA RAHEJA-HEENA
AGARWAL
hantanu Maheshwari made
his big Bollywood debut opposite Alia Bhatt in Sanjay
Leela Bhansali’s Gangubai
Kathiawadi. He loves food, and
one must not be fooled by his scrawny
look. "I can cook for survival. I can
make chapatis, dal and sabzi apart
from a good omelette," he shares.
The Free Press Journal caught
up with him for an exclusive chat.
Excerpts:
First thing in the morning, I have:
Basil seeds soaked in water (sabza).
I am a vegetarian: I love paneer, my
favourite dish is palak paneer.
For breakfast, I have: Eggs or a
peanut butter sandwich.
Around 11 am, I have: Green tea or
regular tea.
My lunch is: Ghar ka khana. I don’t
have any specific meal preferences.
A must with my lunch is: Salad.
In the evening, I have: Sandwiches,
poha or sabudana khichdi.
My dinner is: Lightly sautéed vegetables.
My favourite dessert: Any Indian
dessert.
My fitness regime: I don’t like to
work out in a gym. I prefer exercising
alone in my zone with reasonably
loud music. I like to do bodyweight
training, callisthenics, yoga, sometimes jump ropes, and a bit of kickboxing. I keep it challenging. I don’t
eat two hours prior to my workout,
and have protein intake after it.
For health reasons, I
consciously eat: Fruits in the
morning.
My favourite cook in my
family is: My mom. She makes
everything yummy. She cooks
really good dal bati churma,
a Rajasthani speciality,
while my aunt makes
amazing Indian desserts.
My childhood memory
of food: I was my
mom’s assistant in the
kitchen. She would take
pains to teach me cooking as she wanted me to
be independent. Everyone in my family
knows how to cook
basic food. We
would make potato chips at
home, which
require chopping. In the
process,
someone or
the other
would get
hurt. It is one
vivid memory
that has stayed with me.
For a romantic meal:
A rooftop restaurant or one
with a sea view would be
ideal.
My favourite restaurants are:
Masala Kraft, Barbeque Nation and
Zaffran.
My favourite cuisines: Indian and,
sometimes, Italian.
My comfort food: Ghar ka khana.
I feel guilty after: Overeating because
I love eating. Don’t judge my appetite
from my looks!
My favourite beverages are: Tea,
milkshakes and mojitos.
On a hot summer day: I like to have
watermelon and lemonades.
In winter, my favourite food is: Bajra
rotla with garlic chutney.
During monsoons: I relish pakode.
Food on the sets of Gangubai
Kathiawadi: There was variety, and it
was tasty.
One tip I would like to give readers:
Understand your body because each
one has a different metabolism. Exercise daily; that doesn’t mean you need
to hit the gym. There are various
ways of staying fit. It’s important to
enjoy the process of exercising rather
than stressing about the result.
My favourite food: Fried rice.
Shantanu’s recipe for fried rice
Servings (four)
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
REPRESENTATIONAL PIC
Neetu Kapoor opens up about her marriage with the
late Rishi Kapoor, son Ranbir Kapoor taking the family
legacy ahead, and more
Shantanu Maheshwari
with
INGREDIENTS
2 teaspoons oil
½ cup carrot (60 gms)
diced
1 tablespoon garlic minced
½ cup onion (75 gms) diced
½ cup bell pepper (50 gms),
diced
½ cup broccoli florets
(75 gms)
½ cup peas (75 gms)
1/3 cup corn
3 eggs, beaten
3 cups cooked white rice
(600 g)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Salt and pepper (to taste)
METHOD
In a wok or deep skillet, heat up the oil
over high heat and cook carrots, onions,
and garlic until onions are translucent.
Add bell peppers and broccoli and cook
for an additional three to four minutes.
Add a little salt and sauté for a minute.
Push all of the cooked vegetables to the
side of the pan. Beat the eggs and pour
them into the cleared half of the
pan. Scramble the eggs, add very
little salt to the scrambled eggs
and mix with the rest of the
vegetables. Add peas, corn,
cooked rice, soy sauce,
sesame oil, and pepper.
Mix well and let the rice
cook until slightly crispy.
T
TWISHA SONI
he Gen Z, short for Generation Z,
is a term used for those who
were born between 1997 and
2012. Their’s is a generation of achievers who have disrupted global industries, advocated change, and are already building empires! Having grown
up with rapidly evolving technology,
Gen Z has efficiently leveraged its power. Gen Z changemakers like Malala
Yousafzai and Greta Thunberg have
created awareness and brought
the attention of global leaders to
pressing issues like education for girls
and climate change.
Interestingly, they’re best known for
the lightning speed at which news,
videos, memes and jokes go viral
in their online communities. They
find humour in the mundane and
everyday things.
Everyday words and emojis have
completely different meanings in
Gen Z conversations. For example, the
crying emoji is often used to express
laughter and the smiling emoji to
express passive, but aggressive smiling
nearing sarcasm!
Driving factor
I
t struck a chord with
commoners when a host
of celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood promoted the idea of veganism.
Today, veganism has moved
beyond food. It has opened
opportunities for many sustainable brands that produce organic vegan clothing,
bags, shoes, cosmetics, and
everything under the
lifestyle umbrella.
Vegan Vs Organic
There is no doubt that vegan
is getting popular. However,
it is still not clear how vegan
and organic are distinct.
While a layman's definition
for both is somewhat similar
— nature friendly and made
of natural products — the
two are distinct.
Sargam Dhawan Bhayana,
Director at Paul Penders,
one of the world’s first Vegan and Natural brands,
shines some light on a common misconception that vegan and organic products
are not the same. “Being organic does not mean the
product is not animal-by
product. Vegan products on
the other hand do not contain any animal extracts or
animal by-products and
use plant-based ingredients,” says Sargam. “Organic products do not
have any artificial materials. Vegan products
are those that are made
without the use of any
animals,” adds Pradeep
Krishnakumar, CoFounder & COO of Zouk, a
vegan brand for bags and
wallets.
Beeswax, honey, lanolin,
carmine, keratin, or squalene, etc. which are derived
from animals are often present in organic cosmetics.
However, they are never a
part of any vegan cosmetic.
Vegan cosmetics are not
only plant-based and use
the minimum amount of
preservatives, they are also
gentler on the skin and are
gluten-free.
gained a degree of financial independence at a young age. It has empowered
me to give back to those who deserve
it.” He thinks that it has helped him get
rid of mental barriers that were holding him back from achieving all that he
wanted to. “Today... The sky’s the limit,
maybe even beyond!” he says.
Having a successful career, tons of
money, a perfect body and a lavish
lifestyle, all of this while you’re in
Some popular
your 20s, is a part of this new 'influencer' culture. However, these influGen Z lingos
encers, who achieve a lot at young age
or care about feeding
also can end up feeling devoid of any
NO CAP: You are being truthful/real
families. Yet, all they do
goal too soon. This results in an
is complain about their
empty feeling at an young age.
LOW KEY: Keeping things subtle or not getting too
mental health, experiThe Gen Z ends up insecure, at
openly excited about something
encing identity crisis,
times surrounded by fake stanHIGH KEY: Being excited about something,
freedom and everydards, which project a wrong
usually quite openly
thing under the Sun.
picture. A 21-year-old student,
VIBING: The millennial equivalent of chilling out
Or... it isn’t as easy as
Pratik Tiwari, explains what it’s
SUS: Short for suspicious, used when something looks off
it looks for Gen Z. So,
like to live in constant pressure.
or suspicious, the credibility is questionable
what ails this clan?
“A few years ago, I believed I had
to be successful by the age of 23-24
MATERIAL GIRL: Popularised after the hit Madonna
Extreme competition
to be ‘accepted’ in society. However,
number, someone who values material/
By far, one of the most
now I've realised that these unrealisexpensive things
challenging aspects for
tic standards we view on social media
SIPPING TEA: A term used when someone
Gen Z is the highly competiplatforms, that have created superficial
is just listening to gossip and not
tive environment they have to
expectations in our minds. ”
participating in it
navigate in terms of education and
career. Take the instance of the Indian
Problems that matter
education system: lakhs of students
Everything is interconnected and the
appear for 10th and 12th board examirace to get into premier colleges. It
impact of the adverse psychological
nations every year, with immense
doesn’t end here. Once they find their
challenges faced by a Gen Z is evident
academic pressure to score a decent
way into a good college, questions reon their mental health. An alarmingly
grade, the only acceptable
garding their career future plans begin
large number of young adults and
one being above 90%. But,
to torment. Unfortunately, Gen Z has to
teenagers are suffering from anxiety,
only a few thousands
prove themselves and their capabilities
depression and also eating disorders. It
manage to score above
every single day, in order to be deemed
is like fighting a battle every single day,
90%, after which they
worthy of respect. A final year comonly that it is in our minds and nobody
enter yet another rat
merce student, Siddhi Shah, 21, says,
is witness to it. Several Gen Zs are suf“Competition in every aspect of our
fering in silence. A 20 year old engilives is becoming toxic. Healthy compeneering student, Prerna Madan, says,
tition is certainly good, but when it be“It is imperative to keep our mental
comes the barometer to judge somehealth in check. Even more important
one’s worth in society, especially of
is to build mental resilience. Lack of
peers, it is very demotivating and
mental strength has decreased our castressful.” This extreme competition is
pacity to aim higher and strive towards
slowly diminishing the confidence of
our goals.”
Gen Z, who often begin doubting, comThe bottom line
paring and questioning themselves.
There are two sides to every coin,
Unrealistic standards
while Gen Z is a generation of go-getFor a generation that lives on the interters and hustlers, they are also surnet, it is natural for one to look up to
rounded by adversaries which they
others when it comes to their lifestyles,
must fight everyday. While they are
fitness journeys and more. However, it
invested in building their careers, they
becomes worrying when one begins to
are also worried about issues like
compare ourselves and feel inferior. An climate change, wars and poverty. Like
increasingly large number of Gen Zs
every generation in history, they have a
feel the pressure to match unrealistiunique set of advantages, opportunically high, almost fake, standards that
ties and challenges to work with.
are displayed on social media. Being an However, the given socio-economic fab‘influencer’ is the coolest thing.
ric of our globalized world has made it
YouTuber and digital content creator,
mentally challenging to navigate
Agasthya Shah, 19, admits that becomthrough difficulties, even with the aid
ing an influencer has changed his life.
of technological advancements.
“I have become serious about my acTo sum up... While the Gen Z is vibtions and their consequent impacts.
ing, it is also sipping tea with no caps
The best part about becoming an influand has an ability to have a low key
encer, according to me, is that I’ve
and a high key life at the same time!
They are passionate and compassionate. And they openly admit their
weaknesses. That’s Gen Z... What is this hashtag generation wary of?
A few youngsters give FPJ a peek into their minds
animation student, feels, “The idea of
reaching the limits of my potential,
pushing myself to be the best version
of myself, is what drives me. As a
generation, we (Gen Z) have the freedom to explore and experiment, to try
out new avenues, fail and try again till
we succeed. I want to take advantage of
this privilege and explore the depths of
everything that fascinates me and
reach a state of contentment.” A third
year dental student, Khushi Sethia, 21,
says that seeing the smile of a satisfied
patient makes her day, and motivates
her to keep working hard. “The belief I
have in my work, my dreams and the
fact that tomorrow always brings a
better day and sunshine, is what helps
me persevere on gloomy days.”
We may think that this generation,
born during the dawn of a technological revolution have all they want. After
all, they don’t need to fight adverse
circumstances for their daily survival
Look fancy, but usually to
emphasise something in an
ironic or tongue-in-cheek way
When something is too funny,
a literal representation of
‘I’m dead’
Someone who’s in
shock, literally
someone who’s shook
Vegan
beyond food
Struggling between opting for vegan
or organic? Experts weigh in to
help you make
healthy and
environmentfriendly
choices
Actor Jason Momoa with vegan shoes
Fashion is called vegan if
it does not incorporate animal-derived fabrics like animal leather, wool, silk, or fur.
While we concede that the
fad is millennial, Pooja
Nagdev, Aromatherapist,
Cosmetologist, and Founder
of Inatur ayurvedic products point out that the use of
natural products has been
there for more than 5000
years. “It’s not something
that has come on as a trend
To convey awkwardness
You’ve made a fool of yourself/
you’re looking like a clown
GOAT: Greatest Of All Time
Usually meaning smiling
through pain
REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE
Gen Z is breaking boundaries, stereotypes and glass ceilings everyday with
their hustle and warrior mindset.
When asked what drives them every
single day, despite all the blues and
challenges they face, they respond enthusiastically. A UPSC aspirant, Bhanvika Rana, 23, says, “My motivation to
achieve any goal in life comes from the
sheer happiness I get from the process.
Even on days when the task feels
impossible, I focus on carrying out
the process with passion. Such a
process-driven mindset pushes me
to function at my best every
single day.”
Shyam Sampat, 22, a
finance student, provides an interesting perspective, “The unknown and the uncertainty of the future is something that
drives me everyday. Also, I am constantly discovering myself,
which is exciting and
daunting at the same
time. I learn something
new about life and myself every day!”
21-year-old Parikshit
Tiwari, an
HEMA C
What’s your prob ya?
SUNDAY|MAY 1, 2022
today. It is something that
was always since the time of
Ayurveda. Today, more and
more people are becoming
aware of turning vegan after seeing that there are no
side effects and therapeutic
benefits. This lifestyle shift
will continue to stay and
grow in years to come,” she
emphasises.
Make a smart choice
Gunjan Jindal Poddar,
founder of Amala Earth insists that animal lovers
should opt for vegan products. “However, a vegan
product need not necessarily also be natural or organic. So, if you are vegan and
you don’t wish to consume
products of animal origin,
you can choose vegan products,” she explains. Santosh
Kumar of Kiehl’s India suggests checking the ingredient list before picking up a
product. “The only way to
ensure you are not being
cheated is to check the ingredient list. Vegan products would truly give you
the benefits you desire,”
says Santosh.
The
f un
factor!
Stand-up
comedian and
actor, Sushant
Ghadge opens
up with FPJ
about the
genre and
more
Marketing and more
Once considered an alternative lifestyle choice, veganism has catapulted to the
top of trends. The growing
popularity has clearly
drawn the attention of
brands and they are constantly using vegan and organic take in their product marketing. One
wonders if the terms
are purely a marketing gimmick.
Gunjan is quick
to respond, “Not
at all! It is
entirely up to
the consumer to
pick and
choose
whether
they want
to put
their money
behind a
regular brand or a vegan or
organic one.”
Naina Ruhail, CIO and
Co-Founder of Vanity Wagon also insists that no way of
branding can mislead an
aware consumer. “The
consumer base is well-aware
and looks for certifications
from recognised institutions. Not just this, the consumers do look at the label
and ingredient list and don’t
shy away from calling out
the brand if found otherwise,” she concludes.
S
SWARNA SRIKANTH
ushant Ghadge wears many
hats — He is a stand-up comedian, actor, content creator and an influencer. He has
tickled funnybones and won
hearts of audiences with his
stand-up shows in Marathi.
Sushant rose to prominence with
his performances in web series
like Chikatgunde (2020), Hing,
Pustak, Talwar (2021). The comedian recently took audiences on a
fun ride with his stand-up show in
Kothrud, Pune. The Free Press
Journal caught up with Sushant
for a quick chat about his journey,
and more.
Excerpts:
How do your family and friends’
react to your stand-up act?
My stand-ups are unfiltered and I
make jokes about my parents.
They hadn’t seen a live performance before I got into it. Hence, I
was worried about their reaction
to my jokes. But I’m glad they
liked my show and I was excited
that many people showed up to
watch me.
What do you enjoy more: Stand-
up comedy or acting?
Whenever you play a character,
people judge that character, but
when you are a stand-up comedian
you get noticed based on how you
choose to kindle laughter in
people.
I’ve played roles that I have nothing in common with. For instance,
the sexual orientation of character I played in Chikatgunde was
different than mine and I am different from the one I am playing
in the upcoming Sharma Ji ki
Beti. I don’t necessarily have the
same experiences and personalities as the characters I play, yet it’s
fun to match the vibe of those
characters.
How easy or difficult is to win
over Marathi audience compared
to other languages’ audiences?
It’s not easy. The Marathi audience watches Hindi and English
stand-ups, but it isn’t the other
way round. Marathi audience has
options — if they don’t like
Marathi comedians, they can
move on. Though there might be a
large audience, it’s just difficult to
find your target audience and
keep them interested for long. On
a positive note, when content has
the ‘connect factor’, they will
stay glued.
How did you discover your inner
comedian?
I found my inner stand-up comedian during a microbiology class.
My professor was a fun person
whose lectures were humorous,
and that got me involved in making jokes. At that time, I had no
idea what it meant. However,
today, I am into it with all my
heart, mind and soul. Performing
stand-up comedy is a science you
need to learn, observe and practice to be able to perform well. It’s
important to watch others and
never pull oneself down.
The must have been several
crazy fan moments, a particular
one that stands out the most?
It’s not exactly a crazy fan
moment, but it was heartwarming
and my most memorable one. During college, I performed in plays. I
won a prize for a one-act play and
people approached me for autographs. Years later, when I performed a stand-up show, they were
there in the audience and asked
for my autograph again. I was
amazed... It was an unforgettable
moment.
A particular artiste you look up
to from the comedy genre?
I look up to every artiste. Upcoming comedians who are coming
up with something unique, and
established ones going out of their
comfort zones to try new things,
all inspire me.
There have been instances when
humour has ended up hurting
sentiments. How do you draw
the line between comedy and
insult?
I think ‘dark humour’ is underrated in India. I personally love experimenting with dark jokes in
my shows. The aim of every good
comedian is to make people laugh
and not hurt them. Yet, sometimes, what comedians say is interpreted differently by the audience, which messes things up. It's
important that comedians take responsibility for what they say.
Also, the audience must note that
the artistes intend to make them
laugh and not hurt them.
GOOD LIFE
THE FAST CHECK-LIST
An average person only
remembers one fifth of what
(SOURCE: INSTAGRAM/8FACT)
he/she hears.
J O U R N A L
WEEKEND SUNDAY|MAY 1, 2022
F
PHOTO: INSTAGRAM/TWINKLE KHANNA
Last week, we read
about the pros and cons
of fasting. Now, let’s
look at different types
of fasting, their benefits
and drawbacks
H
or quite a while now, fitness enthusiasts have been raving about
different types of fasts. Each
comes with its own set of advantages
and disadvantages.
Who can do intermittent fasting?
Most people are eating more than
ever today and yet feel fatigued and
tired throughout the day. More food
doesn’t mean more energy. In fact, the
more food one eats, the more energy
our body spends to digest, break
down, absorb and assimilate it in
every single cell of our body. Those
who have embraced smart fasting
or circadian rhythm fast, have more
energy.
Intermittent fasting benefits our
body beyond weight loss. It helps our
digestive system take a complete
break which is not only healing to the
digestive system but the entire body.
It boosts our immunity, calms down
inflammation and is termed a natural
pain killer that works amazingly well
for any arthritic pains. It helps in
detoxification. It is also anti-aging
and boosts skin and hair health.
Who shouldn’t do it?
While the benefits of intermittent fasting are powerful and are recorded in
medical and scientific journals, it does
not suit everyone. Below are some cases where intermittent fasting must be
avoided or practised only under medical supervision.
● Extremely weak and underweight
individuals
● Pregnant and lactating moms
● Highly unstable blood sugar and
blood pressure levels
● Kidney diseases (especially those
on water restrictions)
● Medical treatments or medicines
that need to be had during a certain
time of the day
Dos
● First, set the right intention when you
fast. The intention is everything. Do not
fast with the intention to only lose
weight. Fast because it helps you
become disciplined and align with
nature. Fasting is not a shortcut to
losing weight and it shouldn't blind you
from making lifestyle changes.
● During intermittent fasting, drink only
plain water in the fasting phase. No tea,
coffee, or infused water as anything
other than water. If one wants to adopt
fasting, one must do it the right way.
● Thirdly, set the timings, eating patterns,
and hours of fasting according to what
suits you and your lifestyle. Don't fast
for 16 hours just because everyone else
is doing it. If you are a beginner, start
slow and build up gradually.
● In the building phase, make sure you
really eat well. Don’t diet in the building
phase, else you will only cripple your
metabolism. Get your macros and
micros, vitamins, and minerals. Fasting
is not starvation. In fact, if one doesn't
nourish well, they might end up looking
undernourished, weak, and haggard.
Don’ts
● Do not diet or eat skimpy meals
during our building phase.
● Do not compete with anyone when it
comes to fasting. Fasting is not a
competition or a game. Everyone is
different.
● Do not use fasting as an excuse to
feast and overeat during your building
phase. Respect your body’s needs.
Wet fasting: Wet fasting means drinking
only plain water during the fasting
window and resuming eating as usual
when the fasting period is over. A lot
of people bring in juices, tea, coffee,
infused water, and other beverages in
the name of wet fasting. However, it is
important to understand that putting
anything other than water, in your
system will make your digestive
system work instead of putting it to
rest. Therefore, remember to drink
only water.
Dry fasting: Dry fasting is a step ahead of
intermittent fasting. Here, one does
not consume even water during the
fasting period. This is powerful
because it gives a complete break to
our digestive system, and redirects all
the energy towards healing, recovering, cleansing, repairing and other
vital functions. Dry fasting can also be
eased into wet fasting, which is called
integrated fasting.
The mechanism of dry fasting
is simple. Our digestive system is
the largest consumer of our body’s
energy. It utilises almost 80% of the
energy into digestion, absorption,
and assimilation, leading 20% of the
energy towards — healing, repair,
recovery, growth, rejuvenation,
detoxification, immune system. Too
much eating, eating at the wrong timings, or overeating can direct all energy towards digesting, leaving little
or no energy for repair and recovery.
When one fasts the body's energy is
redirected towards healing, repair,
rejuvenation, boosting the immune
system, stem cell regeneration,
hormonal imbalance, etc.
Dry fasting activates our body’s
intelligence to do what it needs to do.
Due to the absence of water, dry
fasting helps reduce inflammation.
Fasting is healthy if it suits you,
your health and makes you feel better.
Most of us need to let go of the idea
that 16:8 fasting is good for us. What if
your body doesn't need 16 hours of
fasting, and can operate at its optimum
with just 12 hours of fasting? All of us
are unique bio individuals, so fasting
must be as personalised as nutrition
or exercise. The ‘one shoe fits all’
approach will not work here as well.
Circadian fasting: By far, one of the most
natural ways of fasting that have
worked for most people who have
followed it with discipline and
consistency is circadian fasting,
which aligns the fasting and feeding
window with the circadian rhythm
(sunset and sunrise). This type of
fasting results in a natural 12-hour
fast. We utilise the power of circadian
rhythm, which has a deep connection
with digestion, detoxification, repair,
and recovery.
(The writer is a Holistic Nutrition and Lifestyle —
Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine, Founder of
YouCare — All about YOU by Luke Coutinho)
L
DR USHA BELOSKAR
aser hair removal is one of
the most common cosmetic
procedures in India. Highly
concentrated light is beamed into hair
follicles. Melanin pigment in the
follicles absorb the light, which
destroys the hair.
Waxing, threading and shaving can
lead to ingrown hair. Laser removal is
safer than these options as it deals with
the root of the hair and stops growth
after a few sessions.
Lasers are useful for removing
unwanted hair from the face, leg, chin,
back, arm, underarm, bikini line, and
other areas.
Skincare: Skincare is
important during summer
as the harsh sun rays block
skin pores with dirt and
sweat. Bathing regularly will
keep skin infections and body
odour at bay as it washes away
pollution and dirt. Remember to
smother a sunscreen when out in
sun for long.
Beat the
M
DR ANANT PANDHARE
HEAT!
ost people wonder if
summer travel is safe,
especially with current
rising of temperatures.
Yes... travel can be a refreshing,
healthy, and happy break from the
routine if you indulge in a bit of
preparation before hitting the road.
Eat and drink responsibly: An important
part of summer travel is
responsible eating and staying
hydrated. Heavy meals that are
high in carbohydrates and fats add
to body heat. Hence, one should
have light and frequent homemade
meals. If homemade food isn't
possible, be mindful of where you
are eating. Ensure the place is
● Precision: Lasers can selectively target
dark, coarse hairs while leaving the surrounding
skin undamaged.
● Speed: Each pulse of the laser takes a
fraction of a second and can treat many hairs
at the same time.
● Predictability: Most patients have permanent
hair loss after an average of eight to ten sessions.
Disadvantages
● Sometimes delayed results.
● More sessions required due to hormonal
problems.
● In rare cases, laser heat reactions and
folliculitis can occur, which are completely
treatable.
● Blisters are rare, but are more likely in
people with darker complexions.
● Other potential side effects are swelling,
redness and scarring. Permanent scarring or
changes in skin colour are also rare.
5 Caution
Laser hair removal is not
just ‘zapping’ unwanted hair. It
is a medical procedure that
requires training to perform and
carries potential risks. Before the
treatment, you should thoroughly
check the credentials of the
doctor or technician performing
the procedure. Ask for prior
consultation to get a fair idea
about the cost and progress
of the treatment.
4 Recovery
and risks
1 Advantages
2 How to prepare
for laser hair reduction
● If you are planning on undergoing laser hair
removal, you should limit plucking, waxing and
electrolysis for six weeks before treatment.
● You should also avoid sun exposure for
one-two weeks before and after treatment. Sun
exposure makes laser hair removal less effective
and increases chances of complications after
treatment.
● Use of moisturiser before and after laser.
● After laser, avoid swimming for
a week.
hormone when we hug, touch, or
look lovingly into someone’s
eyes. This increases our attachment and bonding to that person
or animal. While humans hug
each other to comfort, celebrate
and feel safe, pets usually cuddle
to get body warmth or bond with
their family members. The act
of hugging releases various
hormones that make them feel
secure. When humans and pets
interact with each other, both
release oxytocin, which is linked
to a positive emotional state.”
However, one also needs to be
careful while hugging pets. Not
all are comfortable. “In case they
don’t like to be hugged, pet parents should be respectful of this.
It may make the pet irritated and
aggressive,” Dr Sonune cautions.
Kokam sharbat, Kairi Pana and
Sugarcane juice, it will keep you
hydrated and maintain electrolyte
balance.
Step-by-step guide to laser hair removal
Laser hair removal has proven to be a boon in the recent years. However, many
are still intrigued about this option. Here’s demystifying the myths
MANASI Y MASTAKAR
ugs can light up any
gloomy day. Hugging
releases a hormone called
oxytocin. The fuzzy, warm feeling
that you experience after hugging
someone is caused by oxytocin.
Recently, actress and author
Twinkle Khanna posted a
picture of her husband, actor
Akshay Kumar hugging their
daughter, Nitara, and their pet
dog giving the two of them a
hug. This suggested that pets too
feel warm and fuzzy when we
hug them.
Shedding light on the effects of
oxytocin in animals, Dr Dilip
Sonune, Director, Veterinary
Services at Wiggles says, “Humans and pets both release this
LUKE COUTINHO
Intermittent fasting: The term may have
been coined recently, but this pattern
of eating exists since ancestral times.
During the old days, the last meal of
the day used to be just before sunset
because of the lack of electricity, and
the first meal was right after sunrise.
This automatically gave the human
body fasting of 14-16 hours. So,
intermittent fasting was, almost, like
a way of life for our ancestors. In
intermittent fasting, one stops eating
after a particular time and moves to
only plain water for a specific period,
and then slowly resumes eating. The
phase in which one fasts is called the
elimination phase and the phase in
which one feeds is called the building
phase.
I WANNA HUG
PAWFECT CORNER
For a day or two afterwards, the
treated area of your skin will look
and feel like it’s sunburned. Cool
compresses and moisturisers may
help. If your face was treated,
you can wear make-up the next
day. Over the next month, your
treated hair will fall out. Wear
sunscreen for the following month
to help prevent temporary
changes in the colour of
the treated skin.
3 What to expect during the treatment
● Before the procedure, your hair that will be undergoing treatment will be trimmed to a
few millimetres above the skin surface. The laser equipment will be adjusted according to the
colour, thickness, and location of your hair being treated as well as your skin colour.
● Depending on the laser or light source used, you and the technician will need to wear
appropriate eye protection. It will also be necessary to protect the outer layers of your skin with a
cold gel or special cooling device. This will help the laser light penetrate the skin.
● The technician will then give a pulse of light to the treatment area and watch the area for
several minutes to make sure the best settings were used and to check for bad reactions. When
the procedure is completed, you may be given ice packs, anti-inflammatory creams or lotions, or
cold water to ease any discomfort. You may schedule your next treatment four to six
weeks later. You will receive treatment until hair stops growing.
(The writer is the Director and Founder at Sskin Savvy Advanced Aesthetics, Mumbai)
Tips to remember while
travelling during the
summer
hygienic and the food is freshly
cooked. Avoid alcohol and oily food
before you embark on your journey
to protect your digestive system.
Salads and fruits are a sensible
addition — vegetables and fruits
that have higher water content like
tomatoes, spinach, cucumbers,
apples, oranges, and watermelons.
Do not munch on biscuits or chips.
Replace carbonated drinks with
Exercise: A light exercise in the form
of lunges, stretches, yoga, or light
jogging are a good idea when on
vacation. While exercising and
working out make sure that the
body heat is maintained by staying
hydrated.
Eye care: Intense sunlight and
ultraviolet rays affect every part of
the eye. Hence, we should not
ignore the fact that just like our
skin, the harsh sun rays can
cause severe damage to our
eyes. The damage often goes
unnoticed, but in the long-term
causes irreversible harm to the
eyes and their surrounding
tissues. Wear dark-coloured
sunglasses when you are
outdoors. You can also apply
Aloe Vera gel, which has natural
cooling agents, under your eyes.
Clothes: As much as we love to dress
up while travelling, it is important
to choose the right clothing. One
needs to switch from synthetic and
nylon to natural and lightweight
fabrics like cotton and linen while
travelling during summer. Cotton
helps maintain the body’s
temperature as the material is airy.
Wearing the wrong clothes during
summer can be an invitation to
dehydration and heatstroke.
(The writer is the Medical Director at
Dr. Hedgewar Hospital, BAVP)
KARMA
KONNECT
moved out of my house.
Currently, I’m staying in a hostel.
ITherecently
reason for my move out was my
father. We’ve been falling out every
other day. Things went downhill when
he sent my sister abroad for studies. I
was set to go too but he didn’t have
money to send me. I couldn’t
understand because we are doing
well. Since then I’ve been feeling
resentful up to the point that I
couldn’t stand him. Is it Relationship
or Ego Karma?
The Relationship Karma is creating these
judgements. You are judging your father
as unfair and triggering your Ego Karma,
which is making you feel resentful.
This in turn is also strengthening the
Relationship Karma between you and
your father for the next births, creating a
cycle of suffering. To get yourself out of
this cycle, ask yourself why do you want
to go abroad for studies? Is it just
because your sister went? Once you find
the truth behind this desire, you will
either let it go or make it come true,
no matter the nature of the obstacles;
instead of suffering in the web of
these Karmas.
e recently moved to a new office.
W
It’s quite good compared to our
previous one. We have better
amenities here. But why do I not feel
at ease in such a spanking new place?
Sundays are dreadful because I come
early to the office and my colleagues
come late. I’m in an empty office for
almost three hours and it scares me
to even go to the loo. I always feel
I’m being watched. A relative of mine
said it’s the Vastu. Do the energies of
places affect us?
Everything including us in the universe
radiates electromagnetic energy. Hence,
it stands to reason that the energy of
everything like stars, places, people, etc.,
affects our sheath of electromagnetic
energy. Think of this energy sheath like a
muscle. The stronger it is, the lesser will
the impact caused by outside forces.
Vastu is a way of setting a place in a
way that makes these energy interactions
harmonious. Another way to create such
conditions is havans. You can try Vastu,
havan or more. However, as Karma
Yogis, we work on making our energy
sheaths so strong that these energy
interactions are always harmonious.
believe in soulmates and have been
Iyearning
dreaming of finding ‘the one’. After
for more than 20 years, I am
still single and looking. Do soulmates
even exist?
A soulmate is someone who interacts
with your soul or core energy. In a way,
every interaction or connection across
births will fall under the category of
interacting with our core energy. With
every connection, we form Relationship
Karma. Some interactions last longer
and, hence, the Relationship Karma is
stronger and it keeps getting
compounded across births. Now, in the
chase of finding ‘the one’ in this birth,
we don’t enjoy the ‘now’. If we are truly
living in the moment, then every
interaction with every connection will be
as fulfilling as a supposed soulmate. To
reach that state, first, we have to truly
connect with our soul and core energy.
Once we are truly connected with our
core energy,
anyone and
everyone can be
our soulmate.
Got questions for our expert?
Scan the code or fill the form:
https://bit.ly/3AGPvZg
(Kushagra Patwa is
Founder & Karma
Counselor @ Karma Is
Not A Bitch;
www.kinab.in)
PLAY&PAUSE
What do
women
want?
J O U R N A L
WEEKEND|SUNDAY|MAY 1, 2022
S
AINEE NIZAMI AHMEDI
unita Lad, a quality manager in Mumbai, was forced
to quit her job in 2021
because her company refused to
allow her to work from home for
few days a week. “The company
expected us to come to work
daily, without considering the
fact that we couldn’t travel in
trains as we were not double
vaccinated. My daily commute
cost was more than what I was
earning, and when I highlighted
this and asked for a hybrid
model, the company asked me to
quit,” she says.
Sunita’s story isn’t unique.
Lack of flexibility — be it in the
daily working hours, refusal to
adopt a hybrid model or a complete disregard for an employee’s
mental health — has caused a
drastic shift in the balance of the
workforce. A recent survey by
LinkedIn highlights that 72 per
cent of working women reject
job roles that don’t allow them to
work flexibly, while 70 per cent
have already quit or considered
quitting their jobs because they
weren’t offered the right flexible policies.
“Flexible working is the priority today for all professionals, especially for working women. Our research
finds that India is on the brink of a ‘flexidus’ with 7 out
of 10 working women quitting or considering quitting
their jobs due to lack of flexibility. This is a warning
sign for companies and recruiters to remove the stigma
surrounding the need for flexibility and career breaks,
and introduce stronger flexibility policies if they don’t
want to lose top talent,” shares Ruchee Anand, Senior
Director, India Talent & Learning Solutions, LinkedIn.
After working on a Work From Home (WFH) model for
the last two years, the future, according to Neha Bagaria,
Founder and CEO, JobsforHer, lies in providing
flexible working hours. “Flexible work arrangements not only attract more women employees, enabling them to balance their commitments both at work and at home, but it improves business efficiency too. Keeping
women in the workforce is not an option; it’s
imperative. We need to be empathetic about
what women want at the workplace.”
While a genuine flexible model isn’t established in India just yet, many companies are
aware of the needs of their employees and
are willing to go the extra mile to retain
talent. Samadhi Parashar, HR Manager, Pataa, feels that “companies should not just take care
of the workplace but the responsibilities that are being
assigned to the employees
as well.” Samadhi further
highlights the company’s
flexible policies, including
period leave, cab services for
female employees, and a
policy not to let career
breaks affect an employee’s
chances of being hired or
promoted, all of which help
employee retention.
Kara Hecker, Director,
Product Management at
Cimpress, feels that companies need to seriously look
at the benefits of flexible
working hours as they outweigh the negatives. “Eliminating a long commute to
and from work allows for
more time to spend on other
things, whether a work commitment or something in
your personal life. Trusting
employees to complete their
work on their own schedule
from a remote setting can
make a big difference.
Personally, I like to take calls
early in the morning with
global colleagues to get some
work done before my daughter
wakes up. That allows me to spend more time with her
and be there for her morning routine. I also often work a
few nights a week after she goes to bed so I can pick a
day to sign off early to spend time outside and away
from work while the sun is still out. Having flexible
hours means I can get all my work done and enjoy
time away from work without being bound to a typical
work-week schedule.”
Parul Mathur, Senior Vice President, HR and Training
at Tradeindia, adds that flexible working hours also
extend beyond focusing on the daily schedule. “Some
of the basic practices implemented at most progressive
organisations are offering extension of maternity
leaves and allowing WFH as and when required for
new mothers.”
A recent JobsForHer survey revealed that
some of the top priorities that women professionals are looking for at the workplace are
childcare assistance, remote work options,
flexible working hours and mental health
support. “To create an effective, flexible work
environment, one needs to ensure that all the
employees are treated equally and fairly. To
achieve this, one must review which flexible
work options work best for their lifestyle
with the team. While everyone's suggestion can not be implemented, implementing the majority’s way
can help boost morale and make
your efforts more effective,”
suggests Roma Priya, Founder,
Burgeon Law.
After working from home
for two years, flexible
working hours is now a
non-negotiable demand
for many women.
FPJ explores
COME TO THE
MANASI Y MASTAKAR
SIDE
TWITCH: Do you love gaming? Do want to be
a gamer but don’t know how to go about it? Or
do you just love watching others play? Twitch
will quench your thirst for all things gaming!
Here, you can watch some of the world’s best
gamers in action along with live streams of popular games. This will allow you to get a hang of
the game while watching professionals or even
amateurs play. There’s access to live gaming
events and e-sports competitions as well. Learn,
play, Watch!
Summer Fashion
Can you ditch fancy, high-priced brands to adopt
environment-friendly labels to save the planet?
CANVA: This app is a one-stop-shop for all
your editing and designing needs. It has a video
and photo editor, and excellent graphic designing
tools. With the app, you can create funky cards,
flyers, photo collages, and add spunk to your
social media posts. You don’t need to be a pro at
graphic designing or editing to use the app. The
USP of the app is that beginners and amateurs
can also use this and unleash their creative side.
Available on: iOS and Android
DAY ONE JOURNAL: PRIVATE DIARY:
Studies have proved that journaling indeed helps
manage one’s emotional life in a better manner.
Journaling makes you aware of
your feelings as you pen
them down. If you are
someone who loves
journaling then this
app is for you. It’s a
completely
private digital space
where you can
scribble moments
from your life as you
live them. You can
make you digital vault
lively with readily-available
widgets, photos, videos, and more. The
best part is that you can carry it everywhere without worrying about your
journal landing in someone
else’s hands.
TRY LOVE FOR A CHANGE
In a world where motivational videos have become
our staple diet, try not to inspire people for once
FPJ FEATURES DESK
This is one of
1ZUMBA:
the most popular
dancercise forms. It is a mix
of rumba, salsa, hip-hop and
merengue dance forms. This
aerobic workout helps you
achieve overall fitness as it
strengthens your arms, abs
and legs.
M
SOMI DAS
y office help (L) and my colleague
(N) are at loggerheads these days.
N believes L should do something
more with her life other than running
errands as domestic help. L doesn’t want to
do anything particularly constructive with
her life. She is a 22-year-old divorcee with a
seven-year-old son. She was married off
when she was 14 because her parents figured out she wasn’t interested in studying.
The price women pay for not being the academic type in our country. Now, she is in
love with someone and often spends long
hours on the phone. Despite the horrifying
experience of her first marriage, she still
hasn’t given up on men. She believes that
eventually she will be rescued by a lover.
Pragmatic N, who is extremely
studious and has a strong
academic background, tries
to jolt L out of
her roman-
2
POLE DANCE: Pole dance
has garnered a loyal
fanbase with fitness
enthusiasts. It makes you
more flexible. Pole Dance
isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
Balance and discipline are
key words if you want to
master Pole Dance.
HOP: This is an
3HIP
intense form as it mainly
works on your hips, waist
and helps you get toned abs.
One hour of hip-hop dance
helps you burn 250 calories.
DANCING: It not
4BELLY
only helps one loose
weight, but also tones
muscles and improves
posture. Like most other
dance forms, this one also
secretes endorphins and
dopamine, the feel-good
hormones. Thus, you will
feel confident after each
session.
PHOTO: FREEPIK
This is a
5JAZZERCISE:
unique combination of
Remember...
✪ Say I love you often to friends
✪ Break mental hierarchies of power and
privilege
✪ Hug and cuddle in a non-romantic, nonsexual way
✪ Make a cup of tea for your house help
✪ Remind people to breathe and drink water
✪ Don’t say calm down
✪ Help your partner in striking things off their
to-do list
✪ Have Zoom dance parties with longdistance friends
✪ Video call a friend
✪ Cry
✪ Send out a silent prayer for people against
who you harbour resentment or are jealous
of their success
tic la la land. That no one would come to
rescue her and she should instead go back
to studies and secure a good life for herself
and her son. I enjoy the drama from a distance like a spectator but never dared interfere.
Little did I know N was soon going to
knock at my door and ask me to back her
up in this project. I love them equally and I
wouldn’t dare validate one over the other.
Sensing that I didn't share her enthusiasm
about “fixing” L’s life, she threw a more
probing and philosophical question at me.
“Tell me one thing, isn’t it our duty to empower people who are struggling?”
In a world where motivational videos
have become our staple diet, it is only
natural to believe that we carry a moral
responsibility to empower others by
telling them what to do with their lives. “I
C
ASIYA ANWAR
hances are by 2050, the earth’s temperature will increase by 2.4
degrees above pre-industrial levels. It is interesting to note that
the fashion industry accounts for 8-10% of carbon emissions, and
generates up to 20% of wastewater overall.
Every summer, we complain about the scorching heat and pray to find the
lightest fabric available to counter the heat and inevitable sweat machine
our bodies become. As consumers, it is necessary to be conscious of the
fact that the products we buy are contributing to the global warming in a
big way.
We give you a list of a few organic summer-wear brands that are trendy,
comfortable to wear, and reasonably priced.
EVERBLOOM
Backed by 14-15 months of research, Devendra Singh launched his brand,
Everbloom, in March 2002. While they do provide customised products on
request, Angrakha in georgette fabric is their signature design.
Mission: Main mission is to provide Japanese standard quality products
to the Indian market. They use naturally-processed, eco-friendly fabrics
which are sustainable and exude comfort. All products are designed by an
in-house team. The best part is their fabric is recyclable.
Where to shop: You can buy their products on their website.
KAHANI LUSH
BEING INSPIRATIONAL IS OVERRATED,
Dance is no more just
an art form, but a way
to stay fit as well. On
World Dance Day, let’s
look at some forms that
help you stay fit
Sustainable
Available on: iOS and desktop
Available on: iOS
Dancercise!
jazz dance with a mix of
Pilates and yoga exercises,
and cardio-boxing moves. To
get the most from this dance
form, do it at least thrice a
week. Each one year session
helps you shed 600 calories.
Mayday is an emergency signal coined in 1920 by Frederick
Stanley Mockford, an English senior radio officer at an airport. It
is derived from the French word, ‘m’aider’, which means ‘help me’.
don't think we can empower people. That is
for systems and institutions to do. I think
as individuals we can only love other individuals, irrespective of whether they are
struggling or not,” I told her.
N is a smart woman and not one to give
up so easily. “Okay. Then isn’t it our
duty to worry about the well-being of
the people we love?” she asked. This is
no more a philosophical question of
morality but an exploration of what is the
right way to love another human being. N
loves L to worry about her so much. But
what happens when any of the parties
choose not to toe the prescribed line of
action. Do we withdraw our love? Do we
feel betrayed that we invested so much in
someone, and they didn’t give two hoots
about our advice? L is certain she wouldn’t
go back to studies because she never liked
studying in the first place.
I know L might be heartbroken again.
Love would be to watch her get heartbroken without continuously warning her
of the consequences of her actions. We
seldom realise how cruel we become when
we pin our love on compliance.
I don’t know how to solve this problem
of love between L and N. But the discussion gave me a chance to clear my
thoughts on love. I have come up with
a to-do list to pepper my relationships
with love instead of burdening
myself with the responsibility of
motivating others.
(The writer is a mental health and behavioural sciences columnist, conducts art therapy
workshops and provides personality development sessions for young adults. She can
be found as @the_millennial_pilgrim
on Instagram and Twitter.)
Launched in 2020, Kahani Lush was born with the idea
of creating a fabric that would drape and flow with a
classic touch of embroidery, and is budget-friendly. The
founders, Ekta and Vipul Chaudhary, have always
looked at clothing through the lens of confidence and
empowerment. While simplicity remains the core
factor of their designs, embroidery and silhouettes are
chic as well.
Mission: They are focused about a woman
needs. They work with high-quality fabrics
like chanderi, cotton silk, linen, etc. They
prefer pure, handwoven, organic fabric with
modern explorations for embroideries.
They are constantly on the lookout for
innovative ethical and environmental
ways. They are on the mission to create
beautiful sustainable attire for all sizes.
The pieces that truly become a part of
you. All their products are recyclable.
Where to shop: You can shop for their collection
on their website
CHHAPA
Founded by Shipa, who is also the head designer of Chhapa, this unique summer wear brand
is a team effort of four spirited and culturally
inspired individuals — Hardik, Bimal, Shital,
and Shipa — who are on a quest to bring back
the art of block printing. Chhapa is the
love child of exciting ideas, knowledge,
skills, and experience brought together by the
four siblings.
Mission: Chhapa believes in one basic principle
— to do what is best for the environment, the artisans, and the customers. They source
their materials directly from
weavers from small hand-weaving
units that don’t contribute to
carbon footprint. The key part of
their manufacturing is that their
printing gets done through
hand block. And, although
cotton fabrics cannot be recycled, they can be upcycled. Chhapa endorses
the method of upcycling
to create a lot of different
useful products to contribute to a circular
economy.
They use top-quality
mulmul cotton fabric, which
is naturally soft and cool.
They are known for their
quirky motifs. Their signature designs are elephant and
fish motifs.
Currently, they are focused
on gathering what they call
‘the Expression of Interest
for Franchises across India’. But they are open to
the idea of expanding
their brand overseas
as well.
Where to shop: Their
products are available
to purchase through
their website
These are just a few
of the brands that
strive to save the
planet.
Have guilt-free
fun this summer
by switching to a
sustainable fabric and buying
from companies
that focus on
reducing their
carbon footprint.
LIVE SMART
J O U R N A L
WEEKEND|SUNDAY|MAY 01, 2022
PHOTO: FREEPIK
How to invest in
cryptocurrencies?
C
GUNEET KAUR
rypto or cryptocurrencies refers
to the digital assets created using cryptographic techniques.
They are powered by blockchain technology to make transactions possible.
The blockchain ledger is distributed
and electronic, allowing network participants to audit and verify the transactions without the need of a third
party like central banks. Bitcoin is the
world’s first cryptocurrency, created in
2008 by an anonymous founder named
Satoshi Nakamoto to solve the issue of
‘centralisation’ in the traditional banking system. Countries like the US, the
UK, Singapore, India, etc., are putting
efforts to regulate cryptocurrencies.
You can opt to buy and store one or
more cryptocurrencies directly by following the instructions below.
STEP SELECT A CRYPTO EXCHANGE
1
OR BROKER
Crypto exchanges like Coinbase, Binance, eToro, and Gemini allow buyers and sellers to trade cryptocurrencies with varying fee structures. You can buy crypto with fiat, or
some exchanges will enable you to exchange crypto for crypto. The crypto
broker is an intermediary that trades
on your behalf.
STEP CREATE AND VERIFY
2
After choosing a crypto exchange or broker of your
choice, you need to sign up for an account and verify your identity before
proceeding ahead. It is a mandatory to
comply with the regulatory requirements of a jurisdiction where your
crypto exchange/broker is operating. Such requirements may require
you to upload a copy of your personal
identification documents.
STEP DEPOSIT FUNDS
3
To purchase cryptocurrency,
you must first ensure that you
have funds in your account. For example, you can fund your cryptocurrency account by linking your bank account or paying with a credit or debit
card. You may have to wait for a few
days before utilising the money you
deposit to acquire cryptocurrencies,
depending on the exchange or broker
and your funding method. Credit
cards, however, can be costly.
STEP PLACE YOUR CRYPTO ORDER
4
Once you have funds in your
account linked to an exchange
or broker, you can buy any crypto-as-
AKSHAYA TRITIYA SPECIAL
JAR: SAVE DAILY
IN DIGITAL GOLD
kshaya Tritiya is just around the corner
A
(May 3), and what better day to start
investing in gold than the auspicious day.
Don’t know where to start or can’t afford to
buy gold right now? Jar has the answer to
all your gold investment-related queries.
This Made in India app offers innovative
solution to save money daily and invest in
gold. You can buy and sell gold, starting at
Re 1. The app also encourages you to save
by letting you auto invest small amounts in
digital gold, which you can redeem or
withdraw in times of crisis. The app is
backed by NPCI.
INVEST IN FOUR EASY STEPS:
your Jar account by loging in with
1Create
your phone number.
UPI autopay from GooglePay,
Paytm or Phonepe accounts.
2 Setup
let Jar do its job by saving money
daily for you by offering best gold rates.
3Now,
Click on ‘Withdraw Funds’ options to sell
the gold you have accumulated. The
4 money
is directly transferred to your
e-wallet.
set available in the crypto space. To begin, search the crypto of your choice
using its ticker symbol. Enter the
number of coins you are willing to buy
to complete your transaction.
STEP SELECT A CRYPTO WALLET TO
5
STORE YOUR COINS
You may not get compensation
if you lose your crypto assets. Therefore, you must be cautious of your
funds and either leave your crypto assets on your chosen exchange or store
them in hot or cold wallets. However,
please note that hot wallets are online
wallets and involve the risk of cyber
theft as they are connected to the internet, whereas cold wallets are offline
wallets in the form of USB or hard
drive. Cold wallets must also be used
with caution. If you lose the key code
connected with them, or if the device
breaks or fails, you may never be able
to recover your digital currency.
ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO OWN
CRYPTO
Instead of directly buying cryptocurrencies, you can invest in crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or in cryptocurrency companies.
INVESTING IN CRYPTO
EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS
Rather than investing in an individual
crypto asset, park your funds in a pool
of cryptocurrencies called ETFs that
track the price of one or more digital
tokens. Diversification, low cost of
ownership, and outsourcing of knowledge, and time-intensive operations associated with crypto token selection
are all advantages of ETFs.
INVESTING IN CRYPTOCURRENCY
COMPANIES
You can acquire shares in firms that
utilise or own cryptocurrencies and
the blockchain that enables them — if
you prefer to invest in companies with
actual products or services that are
subject to regulatory control but still
want exposure to the cryptocurrency
market.
To acquire shares in publicly traded
firms like PayPal, you will need an online brokerage account (PYPL). In
2021, it expanded to allow clients to
purchase and sell chosen cryptocurrencies using their PayPal and Venmo accounts.
(Guneet Kaur is technology
editor at Cointelegraph)
Disclaimer: These are author's own views and
must be treated for educational purposes only.
A
PAYDAY
BLUES!
It is said more than 20% ($190,000 million dollars) of
Bitcoin is lost forever because its trapped in wallets
that can no longer be accessed.
(SOURCE: KNOWTECHIE.COM)
PHOTO: FREEPIK
While every working
individual is eagerly waiting
for the paycheck to be credited
in their bank accounts, we
present a ‘cool, easy’ guide to
plan your expenses
A
VAISHNAVI SHARMA
fter working hard for an entire
month, many look at spending after receiving the paycheck
as emotional therapy. While there is
nothing wrong with this, it is critical
that you exercise caution and do not
splurge on payday, as this may have an
adverse effect on your savings and lives.
Payday rituals are vital whether your
paychecks come in regular intervals
or your income streams are less
predictable.
So, how does one go about planning
their paycheck?
DIVIDE AND CONQUER: When receiving a
monthly paycheck after tax deductions,
make a note of any differences from the
previous one. Following that, the total
amount must be divided into the following, with each receiving a sum of money
that is appropriate for them.
Budget: It should be sufficient to cover all
your expenses until your next paycheck.
A small buffer amount must be set aside
for unexpected expenses.
Savings: At least 10% of the total amount
must be moved to savings,
if possible. Usually, after creating a budget, this step determines how much money can be saved. The money is to be
transferred to a savings account and not
touched unless an emergency fund is required.
Debts or EMIs (if any): Set aside a certain
amount to pay off debts or overpayments. If the sum is too large, another
set of savings should be made.
PLANNING THE BUDGET: The budget
would include all expenses up to and including the next paycheck. It’s a good
idea to categorise it to keep a better track
of the money flow. Such as, regular expenses like rent, bills, transportation,
fuel, food, drinks, recreation, vacation,
and so on. This will allow you to think
and plan effectively, reduce impulsive
spending and increase the satisfaction
that comes with good planning.
Breaking down budgeting for us,
Viral Bhatt, Founder, Money Mantra,
says, “Controlling your expenses does
not necessarily mean to forego your
standard of living, though it may require you to sacrifice some of the unnecessary spending. Elizabeth Warren, a
Harvard Professor, first established a
principle known as 50, 30, 20. This principle simply bifurcates your post-tax in-
Reasons why you could be finding yourself
running short every month
Overspending when it comes to
your credit card: Oops! Been there,
done that. While credit cards are very
much a gift, they could become a
curse when not used the right way. If
you find yourself running short at
the end of each billing cycle, you need
to do a stringent review of your
spends over the last few months, and
evaluate was it really worth it. Overleveraging your credit line is NEVER
a good idea.
Living beyond your means: Peer
pressure can be a monster. It sneaks
up on us, and even if not necessarily
outright, at times one gets caught up
in the moment and tends to spend or
purchase beyond what is affordable.
There’s no harm in indulging in some
retail therapy every now and then, but
consistent overspending, over time
can get you stuck in a hard-hitting cycle of debt. And that’s often harder to
break than it is to stick to your spending limits.
PREPARE A DOS AND DON’TS LIST: Make a
list of what you intend to do and another
of what you do not intend to do. This can
include activities that you have wanted
to try for a long time and wish to invest
your time and money in, such as journaling, reading books, etc, and also things
you’d like to take a break from such as
partying, drinking, and so on. Making a
list of dos and don’ts will not only free
you from unhealthy and wasteful spending, but it will also reform your habits
while keeping a close eye on them.
USE FINANCIAL PLANNERS AND APPS:
There are numerous apps available to
help you manage your finances and keep
track of your money. Some also
allow you to set up auto-payments for
less stressful bill and payment settlement. Some of the apps that can help
track and plan are Up, Earnin, Dave,
and Brigit.
This payday, be watchful and persevere
as Dave Ramsey, a personal finance guru,
businessman and author puts it: “I
believe that through knowledge and
discipline, financial peace is possible for
all of us.”
With inputs from Sulekha Nair
You are eligible for capital gains exemption if you buy a property
W
KE Y P O IN TS
ARVIND RAO
hat can be regarded as one of
the most popular provisions of
the Income Tax Act (‘the Act’)
is Section 54. It provides that the longterm capital gains you earn from the
sale of a residential house property
can be claimed exempt, if you were to
invest the gains, so earned, in another
residential house property. The law
has also prescribed the time limit for
buying the new house property.
Generally, the value of new flat as per
the agreement is considered for the
sake of calculating the value eligible
for exemption u/s 54. The stamp duty
and registration fees paid to complete
the registration process too can be
added to this value. In one of the recent
cases that was decided by the Tax
Tribunal, there was a twist to this
generally accepted principle.
The taxpayer claimed an exemption
Section 54 stipulates that
The section has not exAs long as expensa new house property pur- 2 pressly laid down any re1
es have been in3
chased within 2 years or a
strictions for claiming expens- curred within the pre-
new flat constructed within 3
years will be eligible to claim
exemption u/s 54 of the Act.
es incurred prior to possession that are required to make
the new house inhabitable.
of Rs 62.5 lakhs from long-term capital
gains earned on sale of his residential
flat, in his return of income, on account of investment made in a residential property within the prescribed
time limit. During the course of assessment, the taxman observed that the
purchase deed of the said property
showed price of the new property as
Rs 48.50 lakhs only. Based on this, the
taxpayer was asked to explain why the
exemption should not be denied to him.
In his explanation, the taxpayer
submitted that he had incurred expens-
DIPIKA JAIKISHAN
h, budgeting! Often at the top of
everyone’s to-do list, but rarely
done ‘right’! Now there’s no
harm in making mistakes along
the way when it comes to money —
Practice makes perfect after all. But
when it comes to financial responsibilities, no one gets off the hook. We
all have our bills to pay, obligations to
meet, investments to make, personal
spends, and a little something tucked
away for emergencies. Or do we?
For those who don’t have a meticulously planned money management
strategy in place, this one’s for you. A
large part of money management is
saving and investing smartly, in addition to spending with intent.
come into needs, wants and savings in
percentage of 50, 30 and 20 respectively.
In this principle, Warren, has specifically defined what are needs, wants and
savings, thus allocating your funds in
the most optimum fashion. Needs are
nothing but stuff without which it will
be impossible to live, example: rent,
house loan EMI, grocery bills, electricity, water, etc. Whereas wants are not
necessary to survive, but are required to
enhance your lifestyle, which may
include dining out, travelling for leisure,
exploring hobbies, and more. Lastly, savings for needs, should not be ignored as
it will design your future after retirement or in case of a mishap, example,
savings for house, retirement fund, child
education, etc.”
scribed time-limit, the
same may be eligible
for exemption us/s 54.
es of Rs 12 lakhs for extra work to
make the new house inhabitable, and
Rs 2.5 lakhs for various local taxes and
legal fees. Further, these payments
were made through the banking channel and the relevant details of the same
were submitted before the tax officer.
The taxman was not convinced with
the above and disallowed the claim for
exemption u/s 54 of the Act to the
extent of Rs 14 lakhs on the grounds
that this expenditure was incurred
before taking possession of the flat.
This stand by the taxman was accepted
by the first level appellate authority.
The taxpayer took up this matter
further before the Tax Tribunal, where
the latter observed on the basis of
records presented before them, that the
genuineness of the payment of Rs 12
lakhs for repair work and the balance
amount has not been doubted by the
tax officer. The Tribunal relied on an
older decision of the Tribunal, wherein
it was held that there is no restriction
on the buyer from incurring any
construction expenditure on improvisation or supplementary work of a
ready-made unit. The additional
expenses, so incurred, would be eligible
for qualifying as investment made
under section 54 of the Act.
The Tribunal ruled that the taxpayer
was eligible to claim the expenditure as
an exemption u/s 54, that was earlier
disallowed by the tax officer.
(The writer is the Founder of Arvind Rao & Associates, a tax and financial consulting firm, Mumbai)
J SOCK IT UP!
D
AA
G
U
art of
The
finance management
TIPS TO CURTAIL UNNECESSARY
SPENDS
n Get your expenses in place: Fixed
expenses come first. Your variable or
expected spends come next. And finally, money tucked away each month for
your emergency fund and some welldeserved peace of mind. A large part
of money management is saving and
investing smartly.
n ‘Multiple streams of income’ is the
new black: Setting aside extra money
for a rainy day — to invest or even to
just indulge — is always a good thing.
And well, who doesn’t love making
more money!
n Keep strict accounts: It helps to
list down each and every expense incurred on a daily basis. And sometimes, when you write everything
down and go over your expenses — in
hindsight, there are things you wish
you hadn’t or didn’t need to spend on.
n Set up your investments and
forget about them: You heard it right.
Out of sight is out of mind. Yes, there
are instances when you will need to
delve into your investments in order
to be slightly more liquid, but that’s
in case of a planned expense or
emergency for the most part.
There you have it! Some money tips to
up your game. However, don’t worry,
building a healthier relationship with
money is an ever-ongoing process. You
will find yourself progressing over
time, as long as you set your goals, get
your investments in place, and most
importantly — enjoy the money you
have worked so hard to earn. At the
end of the day, it is all about how Not
to be broke!
(Dipika Jaikishan is COO & Co-Founder,
Basis. This article was co-authored by Rebecca
Edwin, Head — Content, Basis)
S
SHIKHA JAIN
over your mug and
keeps your coffee or
tea warm and protects
your hands from getting burnt.
ocks are our
fave winter
companions.
great. They keep
your feet warm
and come in
colourful and
funky designs. But,
what do you do
when one of your
sock goes missing or
is damaged but you
don’t want to sew it
or throw the lone
survivor away? Fret
not, here’s how you
can put the lone sock
to use. These ideas
are easy, frugal and a
great activity that
can keep you busy
for hours.
VASE COZIES
Argyle socks are perfect for making these
little vase cozies, but
you could use any
socks that you have on
hand. Feed the sock
over your vase and
you are all done. You
may need to trim and
sew a bit if the sock
is too long. You could
also do these
with
coloured
socks to
match your
décor.
SOCKS
POTPOURRI
SACHETS
Material needed:
n Old socks
n Scissors
n Sewing kit
ARM WARMERS
Whether you have
a pair of socks that are
worn down or you have
a couple of mismatched ones, you can
turn them into arm
warmers. All you have
to do is cut two inches
off the toe and make a
small slit on the heel
for your thumb.
Fuzzy, thick socks
work best for these.
COFFEE MUG COZIES
Cut the sock from the
toe area and if you
want, sew in the edges.
The sock slips right
The ends of
the toes of
your old mismatched socks
are perfect for
creating
tiny potpourri
sachets. Just snip off
the toe ends of your
socks, fill with your
chosen scent maker,
and then tie them
all up.
Here’s why Apple is removing outdated apps
said that developers of apps that have not
been updated within the last three years
and fail to meet a minimal download
threshold are receiving “an email notifying
them that their app has been identified for
M
DR CHANDNI TUGNAIT
ental health is as
important as physical health. After
all, your brain is responsible for regulating your
thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. So, if you're feeling off balance, it can impact every other aspect of
your life. There are many
factors that contribute to
our mental health. And,
there are some simple
things we can do to boost
our mood and improve our
outlook on life. Here are
some easy ways through
which
you
can improve your mental
well-being.
1
Balanced
lifestyle:
Make exercise, healthy
diet, nutrition, seven-eight
hours of sleep and a
favourable routine, a nonnegotiable for you. A balanced lifestyle can help relieve stress and anxiety, and
adds to energy and vigour
in life.
AGENCIES
New Delhi
D
possible removal from the App Store”. It
means that the “app has not been
downloaded at all or extremely few times
during a rolling 12 month period”, it said
—IANS
in an update late on Friday.
Be Happy!
Let’s begin Mental
Health Awareness
month with tips that
can boost your
overall well-being
2
Journalling:
Make
morning journalling a
part of your routine. You
can write your thoughts,
feelings,
achievements,
memories, goals, visions,
coping mechanisms, or
highlights of the day. This
helps in reducing overthinking, brings clarity, improves
mood and boosts mental
health in the long run.
3
Power of words: The
words you use have a
great impact on your mental and emotional well-being. Change the words from,
“I always goof up” to “This
hasn’t worked out as I
Toothbrush guide!
braces and
the teeth.
espite
Sulcabrush:
the fact
It is specifically
that
designed
to
The first step in oral hygiene is
many of us skip
clean the gumline
picking the right toothbrush.
brushing our teeth
adjacent to the
Wrong choice can do more teeth. To allow for betat night. Brushing
teeth at least twice a day
ter adaptation to the
harm than good
is generally recommended
gums, the bristles are usually
to maintain healthy teeth. It is
shaped in a pointed arrow pattern.
such an important part of our daily lives.
The toothbrush we know today, on the oth- End-tuft: It is a small round brush head
er hand, is very different from what it was with seven tufts of tightly packed soft nyin the beginning. The different types of lon bristles that have been trimmed to altoothbrushes available are:
low the bristles in the centre to reach deeper into small spaces. The brush handle is
Manual: The manual toothbrush is the ergonomically designed for a firm grip,
most common type of toothbrush found in providing the control and precision reour homes. Bristle hardness, head shape, quired to clean areas that most other cleanbristle pattern, and handle design are the ing aids cannot reach.
four primary formats of manual toothbrushes.
Chewable: It is a miniature plastic-moulded toothbrush that can be inserted into the
Electric: An electric toothbrush cleans mouth. They are commonly used by travhard-to-reach areas by rotating its bristles. ellers and are occasionally available from
These brushes are more expensive, but restroom vending machines. It comes in a
they are easier to use when brushing. It is variety of flavours, including mint and
scientifically proven that people who use bubblegum, and should be discarded after
electric toothbrushes have healthier gums, use.
less tooth decay, and keep their teeth and
gums healthy for longer.
Ecological toothbrushes: They are toothbrushes made from biodegradable materiInter-dental: This is a small brush that is als, such as wooden handles, bamboo or pig
typically disposable and comes with either bristles, and/or replaceable heads. Ecologa reusable angled plastic handle or an inte- ical toothbrushes are receiving a lot of atgral handle. It is used to clean between tention as a way to help save our environteeth as well as between the wires of dental ment.
—IANS
YOUR DAY
By Vinayak Vishwas Karandikar
ARIES: You may travel
for academic pursuits.
Finance: Some may
buy property, vehicle.
Career: Those in event management, automobile dealers, land dealers, teachers will achieve success.
Lucky no: 3
Lucky colour: Yellow
TAURUS: Business
deals or contracts will
be successful.
Finance: Some people
may get good returns on their
investments.
Career: Online interviews will be
successful.
Lucky no: 8
Lucky colour: Black/Blue
GEMINI: Today is the
day to spread
happiness.
Finance: You may get
foreign funds or investors for your
business
Career: People in arts,
entertainment, sports may get new
opportunity.
Lucky no: 9
Lucky colour: Red
CANCER: Good day for
students and teachers.
Finance: New
opportunities and
growth in business is indicated.
Career: Promotion at workplace is
indicated for some.
Lucky no: 6
Lucky colour: Pink
LEO: Today, care should
be taken before making
any decision.
Finance: You can invest
in insurance policies, or hardwarerelated companies.
Career: Think twice before signing
any document.
Lucky no: 2
Lucky colour: Silver / White
VIRGO: Success will
come along with some
loss.
Finance: Financial help
from business partner or in-laws is
indicated.
Career: Those in occult science,
technical field, insurance agents,
or event management will earn well.
Lucky no: 5
Lucky colour: Green
LIBRA: You must pay
attention to your fitness.
Finance: Today, you
may get your held-up
money back.
Career: Take expert advice in
business as loss is indicated. Don’t
make hasty decisions.
Lucky no: 5
Lucky colour: Green
SCORPIO: Travel, romance is on the cards.
Finance: You may
invest in luxury, beauty,
pharma or entertainment industries.
Career: Some people may leave
their job, while some may get a
transfer.
Lucky no: 3
Lucky colour: Yellow / Saffron
SAGITTARIUS: Your
work will be get done
in less efforts.
Finance: Good day to
start partnership.
Career: Interior decorators,
automobile dealers, entertainers,
doctors will get a taste of success.
Lucky no: 1
Lucky colour: Orange
CAPRICORN: Students
and teachers will find it
difficult to concentrate
on their work.
Finance: Share traders will make
good earnings.
Career: People in arts, entertainment, sports will achieve success.
Lucky no: 6
Lucky colour: Pink
AQUARIUS: Those
appearing for competitive exams will get
success.
FINANCE: Your loan may sanctioned.
CAREER: Job transfer is likely for
some. Training to hone your skills is
also indicated.
LUCKY NO: 7
LUCKY COLOUR: Grey
PISCES: Use words
wisely,
miscommunication
might cause troubles.
Finance: Loss is indicated today.
Hence, make cautious decisions.
Career: Liquor shop, bars, pubs will
benefit today.
Lucky no: 9
Lucky colour: Red
M
friends or joining a supportive community, social interactions are crucial for mental health. Take time out to
build and nurture your connections.
Find a creative outlet:
5
Expressing
yourself
through art, music, writing,
dance, or any other creative
outlet can help to reduce
stress and anxiety and also
elevate mood.
Take breaks: During
6
the day, take small mental health breaks to practice
planned, let me see who can
help me with this”. Keep the
focus on what you would
like to create instead of
what you lack or don’t want
in your life. Our focus goes
in the direction of our
words and that impacts our
emotions and reality to a
great extent.
mindfulness, breathing exercises, gratitude, progressive muscle relaxation,
meditation or guided imagery. These activities help
to reduce stress and promote a sense of calm and
well-being.
By taking just a few minutes out of your busy day to
focus on your mental
health, you can make a big
Let’s bust some
diamond myths
AGENCIES
New Delhi
I
Myth: Diamonds lose their
spark
They don't! Diamonds are so
resilient that they only get
better with time. All they
need is some TLC occasionally. Washing them in a mild liquid detergent or gently wiping them with a soft cloth, will
restore their sparkle.
Myth: Diamonds are not a
good investment
Really now? What else does
one generation of women
hand over to the next as their
legacy? Diamonds, of course!
They are an investment in
BY BIINDU KHURAANA
your future. They hold memories of your achievements
and accomplishments, reminding you to continue to aspire, achieve and celebrate
each milestone in your life.
They pass on stories of romance and commitment to
your children and grandchildren and serve as a reminder
of your sparkling life.
Myth: The bigger the diamond,
the higher the cost
Not always. Sometimes a
smaller diamond has a better
cut, clarity and colour than a
DOC
DESTINY
MAY: THE MONTH
OF HOPE
The benefits
of practising
Adi Mudra
I
difference in your overall
health and well-being. We
may feel like we are the
only ones going through
what we are going through,
and that seeking help is a
sign of weakness. But the
truth is, mental health issues are more common
than we think. One in four
adults will experience a
mental health issue at
some point in their lives.
And seeking help from a
professional is nothing to
be ashamed of. In fact, it
can be the first step on the
road to recovery. Mental
health professionals can
help us to understand our
thoughts and feelings, and
can provide guidance and
support during difficult
times. If you are struggling
with your mental health,
don't be afraid to seek help
from a professional.
(The writer is is Psychotherapist, Life Alchemist, Coach & Healer,
Founder & Director, Gateway of Healing)
bigger diamond. A diamond
has to pass several checks before it is graded under a particular category and its
weight is another factor that
determines its cost. The heavier the diamond the costlier it
is, which does not mean the
same thing as the bigger the
better!
Myth: All diamonds have the
same sparkle
t's difficult to ignore the
lure of the glittering diamond. But, purchasing
this can be daunting task if
one lacks awareness about
the gemstone. A diamond
company busts some common myths associated with
this scintillating gemstone.
ay is the month
of hope, heat
and holiday. It is
a good month for Venus
people (number 6) as Venus rules the zodiac sign,
Taurus. May is a spring
month in the northern
half of the world, and a
fall month in the southern half.
What May means
May comes from the
Latin Maius, probably referring to the
goddess Maia. She
embodies growth,
both in nature and
business. Others
connect Maius with
Maiores, which
means ancestors or
“the greater ones”.
In May, the ancient
Romans celebrated
Floralia, a festival
for fertility. Floralia
began on April 27
and ended on May 3
and included theatre
plays, dancing, and
banquets. The Romans sacrificed a
Nurture connections:
4
Whether it’s spending
time with family and
WEEKEND|SUNDAY|MAY 1, 2022
Wrong. There is a difference
between natural diamonds,
which are formed deep in the
earth's mantle and artificial
diamonds which are manmade. Know your diamonds
before you step into the store
to purchase one. Also, do remember to ask for a grading
certificate from your jeweller,
which is like a blueprint of
your diamond detailing all
the necessary qualities of
your diamond.
Myth: Your first diamond has
to be expensive
More than anything else, your
first diamond should be
meaningful. It has to evoke a
happy, emotional memory
every time you look at it. And
no, it does not have to be expensive at all! All it needs to
be is beautiful, natural, and
responsibly sourced. —IANS
L
PSYCHOLOGICAL
FACTORS
RAJSHREE VORA
ast week, we dived
into the world of
eating
disorders.
There are various kinds of
eating
disorders
—
Anorexia, Binge eating,
Bulimia nervosa, Pica, etc.
They are said to be more
prevalent in teenagers and
women.
Hormonal
changes during growing
up years make youngsters
more conscious about
their appearance. They
want to look good and often cave in to peer pressure
to maintain a certain body
type. To achieve the perfect
physique, they resort to extreme diets, which causes
more harm than good.
Men, too, succumb to eating disorders, but it is comparatively less and often
goes undiagnosed.
In fact, men are more
prone to muscle dysmorphia, which is a psychopathological condition
that
influences
their
thoughts and behaviours.
Men suffering from muscle dysmorphia are extremely conscious of their
masculinity. They want to
look more masculine,
strong, and focus on increasing weight and muscle mass. This leads them
to the path of diets to attain the ‘perfect’ look, and
often take steroids and
drugs, which can be dangerous. Some people take
excessive protein and give
up on carbs. This imbalance can be harmful for
Exact cause of the eating
disorder is not known.
However, physical, mental,
genetic, peer pressure or
other factors can trigger it.
Some underlying
psychological problems
playing a role in eating
disorders are:
n Anxiety
n Depression
n Stress
n Low self esteem
n Fears
n Obsessive Compulsive
Disorder
health in the long run.
This is opposite to what
women do: they like to remain slim.
There are professions
that require an individual
to look a certain way. For
example, models, actors,
athletes, TV anchors, etc.,
are more pressured to be
be of a particular body
type since they have to be
in front of the camera. The
stress that often comes
with the demands of the
professions makes people
more vulnerable to eating
disorders. Hence, it is important that you seek professional help if you notice
a change in your eating
patterns—be it eating
more than usual or less.
(The author is an obesity
consultant, dietitian and
nutritionist, Sujok therapist,
counsellor, and a yoga
therapist)
Crossword # 408
Birthstone and birth
flowers
According to tradition,
the birthstone for May is
emerald, representing
love and success. The
birth flowers are Lily of
the valley (Convallaria
majalis) and Common
hawthorn (Crataegus
monogyna), also known
as Mayflower or
Maythorn.
Mudra Mantra
n
n
n
the crown (sahasrara)
chakra that governs an individual's sense of peace,
awareness and oneness
with the universe.
Make a gentle fist by
pressing the thumb on the
inside of the palm and enclosing the fingers around
it. The mudra can be practised any time and anywhere. However, for better
results, it is recommended
that one practice the mudra
in a quiet setting with the
fists resting on the thighs
in a seated pose, such as
padmasana (lotus pose).
Avoid Adi Mudra if you are
suffering from hypertension or asthma.
Varied causes of
eating disorders
pregnant sow to the
earth goddess Terra for a
fruitful harvest.
May Day
The beginning of May
has been celebrated as
the onset of summer—
from the Roman Floralia
to the Walpurgisnacht
(Night of St Walpurga), a
Germanic celebration
with bonfires on April
30. Many countries in
Europe and North America celebrate May Day on
May 1 with dances
around a maypole, a high
wooden pole adorned
with colours and flowers.
t is a stressful time. Ris- stretching prices, heatwave, ing,
and
exam pressure, and touching the
more. We are often told to fingers
and
hands.
practice deep breathing, Through these gestures, we
yoga and meditation to keep can “talk” to the body and
ourselves calm in stressful mind as each area of the
situations. However, there hand is connected to a cerare some mudras that can tain part of the mind and
help us destress.
body.
Mudras
ensure
the
The mudra that can help
smooth
moveus destress is called
ment of 'prana' or
Adi (or first/ prienergy inside the
mary) Mudra. Adi
body by mainMudra promotes
taining the balcalmness and staance between five
bility of mind and
elements: earth,
is the perfect comwind, fire, water,
plement to meditaand ether (sky).
tive practices. The
Mudra is a gesmudra stimulates
ture formed by
the brain, which is
curling, crossing, Prof. G B Luthria
closely related to
Health & You
n
n
n
BENEFITS OF
PRACTISING
ADI MUDRA
Relaxes the nervous
system
Improves the flow of
oxygen
Increases the capacity of
the lungs
ACROSS
1 Maltreatment (5)
6 Poetic feet of one kind
(5)
9 Destructive wave (7)
10 __ Dei (5)
11 Typical beginning (5)
12 French soldiers' hats
(5)
13 Long narrow strips (7)
15 Virtuoso guitarist Steve
___ (3)
17 Far from beautiful (4)
18 Exhibition building (6)
19 Monks or abbots (5)
20 Dodges or sidesteps
(6)
22 Cosy (4)
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
Hit hard or thrash (3)
Comeback (7)
Singer Callas (5)
Donated (5)
Irritable (5)
Circus performer (7)
Opposite of 'black' (5)
Nobel laureate ___
Lama (5)
DOWN
2 Important person (6)
3 Short and thick (6)
4 Small opening? (3)
5 Leg joints (5)
6 Ungodly (7)
7 Light breezes (4)
8 Flat-bottomed
rowboat (6)
FPJ - SUDOKU - 13
Reduces snoring
It is beneficial for the
digestive system when
done with a yoga pose
called the frog pose.
Brings about a balance
in the body, as it
focuses on all the
elements or energy
points.
(The Lions Club of Mumbai ACTION along with the
Free Press Journal holds a
Zoom meeting every Monday
from 7 pm to 7.45 pm on alternate therapies like acupressure, sujok and mudras.
Zoom Meeting ID 479 333
1908 Passcode healing.)
12 Door handles (5)
13 Not urban, I am sure
(5)
14 Blossom, flower or
mature (5)
15 Blood vessels (5)
16 Exact likeness (5)
18 News sources (5)
19 Move ahead (7)
21 Disappear suddenly
(6)
22 Instrumental piece (6)
23 Ideal place (6)
25 ___ mortis :
hardening of a
cadaver ? (5)
26 Flesh (4)
28 Physics unit (3)
Solution
ACROSS:1 Abuse, 6 Iambs, 9 Tsunami, 10 Agnus, 11 Proto, 12 Kepis,
13 Ribbons, 15 Vai, 17 Ugly, 18 Museum, 19 Abbes, 20 Avoids, 22 Snug,
24 Lam, 25 Riposte, 26 Maria, 27 Given, 28 Raspy, 29 Acrobat, 30 White,
31 Dalai.
DOWN: 2 Bigwig, 3 Stubby, 4 Ess, 5 Knees, 6 Impious, 7 Airs, 8 Bateau,
12 Knobs, 13 Rural, 14 Bloom, 15 Veins, 16 Image, 18 Media, 19 Advance,
21 Vanish, 22 Sonata, 23 Utopia, 25 Rigor, 26 Meat, 28 Rad.
NEW DELHI: Tech giant Apple, which has
been removing apps that no longer receive
updates, has clarified that outdated apps
are being removed from the App Store as
nobody was downloading them. Apple
WHAT TO DO: Fill in the
grid so that every row,
every column and every
3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9. Every puzzle
has only one correct
solution.
Level: Hard
JAZZ BY THE BAY
MUMBAI | SUNDAY | MAY 1, 2022
One bay city and one bay state have
been hosts to the most popular jazz
musicians and festivals. Verus Ferreira talks
to two jazz legends from Mumbai and Goa — Louiz
Banks and Colin D’Cruz — on the occasion of
International Jazz Day that was celebrated yesterday
‘I love the sophistication in jazz ’
R
eferred to as the Godfather of
Indian Jazz, Banks was happy
that the 11th Edition held
yesterday, was in the offline format,
after a break of two years.
An app to promote jazz
J
azz Goa of Colin D’Cruz is the
only organisation in India to
host UNESCO’s International
Jazz Day every year. D’Cruz who
along with his wife Diana, is the
driving force behind the Jazz Goa
app. Colin and Diana have dedicated
their lives to promoting Goa’s amazing, yet often side-tracked, talent.
More than 300 local artistes have
been recorded free of cost and featured on the app, thus giving them a
world stage till date.
Tell us about the annual Jazz Day
celebrations in Goa.
Each year, our Jazz Goa’s International Jazz Day concert features accomplished artistes from the state,
across India and around the world. I
carefully curate each event to produce a spectacular entertainer while
making sure it’s not elitist. This
year, we had India’s legendary
singer Usha Uthup. People who have
attended this event in the past are always a mix of jazz connoisseurs and
complete newbies. We also got an endorsement letter from Herbie Hancock, the legendary pianist, and UNESCO Ambassador and Chairman of
the Thelonious Monk Foundation.
Have you seen a change in the jazz
scene in Goa in the past few years?
Goa has produced some of India’s
greatest jazz musicians, many of
whom are internationally
renowned. I can confidently say Goa
has turned into a global jazz hub
with the number of international
jazz virtuosos deciding to set up
base in here. Grammy award-win-
ning jazz legend, Henry Threadgill,
had set up home in Goa at one point.
It’s quite common to find a global
jazz giant strolling into one of our
local gigs and jamming with us.
Any big names you have worked
with?
I have had the honour of sharing
the stage with M’tafiti Imara, professor of music in San Diego and an
established musician himself, who
has pointed out that Goa is better
foil for jazz than even America.
With Goa being a tourist hotspot,
has the state government stepped
in to help promote the genre?
I wouldn’t expect government support for jazz from a country ruled by
Bollywood. However, jazz has grown
into an all embracing global sound
of music with some great contributions from India. As you rightly
said, music is intrinsic to tourism
and it’s high time the powers realised this. Encouraging all genres
of live music is not going to hurt
Goa tourism.
In 2019, you collaborated with Sufi
and ghazal singer Pooja Gaitonde.
How did this come about and how
did you prepare for fusing Sufi and
jazz music?
It was an interesting collaboration. In
Sufism you talk to the God. It is
very deep emotionally and very
melodic as well, when I heard
the music I felt that jazz could
be fused with it. I wanted to
experiment with the
emotional side of jazz,
the bluesy side of jazz. Pooja
was ready to try the fusion of
Sufi with jazz and we even
called Sufi Jazz. I loved it and
wanted to experiment
with different harmonic progressions and melodic expressions.
I’m ready to
You were recently approached by
Artium to be part of its faculty and
help youth in music education. Can
you tell us something about it and
a few details on what the course is
all about?
I am always very keen to guide young
musicians to make them more proficient in performance, to grow constantly. In India, I have found there
is not much focus on western music
education per se, its mostly that
youngsters take up an instrument,
learn to play with some home tutoring and start performing. Some of
them excel surprisingly but most
them remain average musicians all
their lives. This is where a sound music education can help towards being
a better musician and eventually a
world class musician.
You religiously curate International
Jazz Day every year on 30th
April. Do you think this
helps to foster the love
for jazz in India?
Every little activity,
project that you do towards projecting
jazz helps to keep the spirit of jazz alive. It is also a
big incentive and motivation for musicians
who are playing
jazz or trying to
get into jazz.
Goa has several venues for
young talent. Do you think the
local restaurants help support
them?
Goa probably has the most live
music venues in the world. Couple
that with the relaxed lifestyle
and beautiful surroundings
and it’s easy to understand why so many
artistes choose
to settle down
in Goa.
cocktails
and more
Innovative
FOOD REVIEW
T
You grew up with many musical influences. What was it about jazz
that made you to take it up?
Jazz had everything that I longed for
in music. Sophistication, exciting
harmonic progressions, great rhythmic values, and the freedom to express yourself freely, where one
could bend rules and not sound the
same twice. I loved these concepts.
Jazz is my passion.
create more Sufi Jazz with Pooja.
Tertullia’s USP is their
frequently updated menu
SHRUTI PANDIT
he road to the Ambedkar Memorial in Shivajipark might not be the
road you would take to visit a
quaint restaurant that serves delectable food. But yes… There’s
Tertullia on this road that one
must visit to eat delicious
Continental, Italian food.
The restaurant is divided in two parts.
One is rustic open bricks and pipes kind of
ambiance, and the other is a normal restaurant with tables, chairs, and sofas. Books
and artefacts on the partitions and shelves
enliven the space. Little flowerpots with
dainty flowers add to the charm.
The restaurant is the brainchild of Imrun
Sethi, who first opened a Tertullia in Pune,
and zeroed down on the family-owned property in Shivajipark to open his first Mumbai
outlet.
Innovation is important for the chef, bartender, and the owner — be it alcohol or food.
The alcohol lovers can start with a TT’s G&T
— the good old Gin and Tonic with rosemary,
cucumber slivers and pomegranate pearls.
Their Sunday Sangria pitcher is popular with
the regulars who spend Sundays here with
family. Smoked Picante, a tequila-based cocktail is for the spicy ones. And if you are in an
adventurous mood, go for the shots. The wine
and whiskey lists are quite exhaustive as well.
The good thing about this place is that
it opens in the early hours and offers an
All-Day Breakfast Menu. Salmon Benedict,
Tofu Scramble are a must try from the
breakfast menu.
For healthy eaters, Avocado Toast on homemade sourdough bread, Kale n Quinoa Salad
and Roasted Spiced Pumpkin (a new addition)
are good options for the vegetarians and
vegans. The pumpkin pieces are perfectly
roasted, dusted with garam masala and rest on
a bed of Greek yogurt along with cucumber
slivers and pumpkin seeds. A tasty meal for
someone who is not very hungry.
Amongst the burgers and pizzas,
vegetarians should surely have the
Pizza Tertrulli-aah that comes
with good dose of scarmoza
and parmigiano cheese instead of the usual mozzarella. Ruccola and spinach toppings make it more interesting. The Garden Zenwich,
again made with homemade sourdough, is another
tasty option.
Oh and yes, the surprise is
the new addition — Karari
We have lost many jazz greats.
Who do you miss, as a friend and as
a musician?
In India, I do miss a few great jazz
musicians who used to play with me
like guitarist Carlton Kitto, singer
Pam Crain , guitarist Chad
Bronkhurst, bassist Peter Saldhana. I
was a big admirer of the great trumpeter Chic Chocolate, trumpeter
Chris Perry, among others.
You changed your name from Louis
to Louiz, any reason for this?
I had gone with my wife Lorraine to a
numerologist for some advice and
clarification on a name change when
I suddenly got the idea to ask him if
he would take a look at my name —
Louis. He pondered and looked at his
notes and suggested that if I changed
the ‘s’ in my name to ‘z’, it would
bring me great luck and prosperity. I
loved the alphabet ‘z’, and from that
day I started to spell my name with a
‘z’ it worked like magic.
How do you spend your free time?
I write a lot of new compositions,
besides that I love to paint, it’s my
second passion. I love to watch
movies too. I also spend time with my
family, have fun with my grandson
Jadyn.
What kind of paintings?
I usually do portraits and landscapes
and recently I only do abstract paintings. I have close to a hundred paintings in storage that I would like to
exhibit sometime soon.
What’s your advice to young
jazz musicians?
Believe in what you are playing or studying, be honest, focused and serious about your
public performances. Prepare
your repertoire very carefully, rehearse and practise regularly. Interact creatively with fellow jazz musicians. Innovate and keep abreast of
new developments in jazz around
the world, and of course, practise,
practise,
practise.
MANASI Y MASTAKAR
Roti. This is something that you don’t expect
at restaurant of this style… but doesn’t
disappoint you. Good companion for a Rum
and Coke or a traditional cocktail.
The non-vegetarians need not worry… there
are enough healthy and indulgent options. In
small plates, the Shrimp Taco, Salmon on
Toast, and Crab Meat Gratin take the bow as
starters. Soft crab shells filled with cooked
crab meat with truffle drizzle is a delicious option for someone with little appetite. Salmon
on Toast also comes with a gluten-free bread
option. TT’s Half Pounder served with salad
and French fries is perfect for a hungry kid
who loves the tenderloin between bread.
Their mains come with healthy options as
well. Most dishes are served with organic
quinoa or black or brown rice. Their homemade Ravioli stuffed with caramelized onion
and served on a bed of gorgonzola sauce is
highly recommended. The Ravioli almost
melts in your mouth. Their Zoodles are also
worth a try. Lamb Ragout2.0 served with
homemade taglireni pasta is a lamb eater’s delight. You can request for black rice or quinoa
if you are not eating pasta. Sea Salt Grilled
Chicken with red wine jus is delectable. The
jus is just right in consistency and taste.
The Chocolate Mousse Tart is the perfect
way to end a meal if you love your
chocolate. The Belgian Chocolate
Mousse is a melt in the mouth as
well. It is served with raspberry compote and edible flowers.
Avoid the Cinnamon Sugar
French Toast. Doesn’t really
do much for your palate.
On the whole, a must visit
restaurant that lives up to its
tagline – Eat, Drink, Love!
Price: Rs 2500+ taxes
(minus alcohol) for two
Here’s where
you can buy
books for
cheap in Mumbai
ASIYA ANWAR
Butterfly Books/ Books By Weight —
Countrywide: This book sale chain sells
books at Rs 100 to Rs 300 per kilo. You
can find pre-owned fiction, non-fiction,
children’s books, classics, dictionaries,
and encyclopedias during the sale. It is
held across different cities and different
venues. You can find the schedule of
sales on their Facebook page.
BooksByKilo — Kamothe, Navi Mumbai:
Founded and run by a set of
experienced professionals, BooksByKilo
started as an attempt to sell books
literally by weight and not at printed
cost. It offers a remarkable collection of
books from Indian and international
authors backed by prompt and userfriendly service, striking the perfect
balance between quantity and quality.
Its offline store in Kamothe, Navi
Mumbai, in a nascent stage, is worth a
visit. It also has an e-commerce store
that provides the customers with a userfriendly and secure shopping
experience.
Kitab Khana — Flora Fountain: Open full
week, from 10:30 am to 7:00 pm, this
booklover’s haven is located at
Mahatma Gandhi Road, Flora Fountain.
They might be too stern about their ‘no
refund, no exchange’ policy but the
range of books they offer is too good to
miss. Their books are hand-picked by
their competent team that helps you
with any doubt you have. It also has a
vast range of Hindi, Gujarati, and
Marathi language books at a discounted
price!
Bargain Book Hut — Kala Ghoda: Started
over six decades ago, Bargain Book Hut
is a heritage publishing organisation. It
spans six cities with 15 retail stores and
has titles ranging from health, fiction,
non-fiction, art, history, photography,
cookery, etc. Its online platform has a
curated section of titles that change
every three weeks. They even have a
'Deal of the Day’ where the titles are
valid for sale for a day. The bargain
price can go as low as Rs 499 for an
original book of Rs 899. In addition to
their weekly package deals, they also
have ‘More Than 80% off ’ and ‘More
Than 90% off ’.
Feel like just relaxing in your bed, streaming
something on the TV or curling up in your
bed reading? Whatever, the mood be — we
have got all that you need for a great Sunday!
Bookshelf:
Motivational Diet
for 369 Days:
Quotes for Days by
Pratibha Tiwari
Motivation plays an
important part in our
daily lives. It pushes
us to give our best, be
it at work, home or
otherwise. Lack of
motivation not only
affects our minds but
in the long run it takes
a toll on us physically
as well. It is as important as our basic needs of
food, water, clothes and shelter. If you are feeling
lost and demotivated, this book will guide you to
get back in the groove. The book, peppered with
quotes, will act as your motivational diet for 365
days. After every quote, there are a few questions
that will help you understand yourself and the
situation in a better manner. The introduction has
certain steps that will ease you into the book. The
writer has done a commendable job by turning a
book into a workbook that ignites motivation.
Watch and Chill: Popeye — The
Continuing Adventures
Say Popeye and every ‘80s kid will think, Spinach!
This animation made an entire generation eat
spinach just to grow stronger. Take a nostalgic trip
with our ‘Popeye the sailor man’, as he goes about
saving either the love of his life, Olive Oyl, or
himself from the brute, his nemesis, Bluto. Do you
hear the whistle blowing in the background, the
signature tune? ‘Coz we most definitely do! Make
your Sunday a fun day by time-travelling to your
childhood!
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Attend: Ghazal writing and appreciation
workshop
If you love listening to ghazals and harbour
aspirations of writing one, this online workshop will
teach you its nuances. Film writer and lyricist
Devroop Sharma makes one of the oldest forms of
poetry a fun experience. The session will deepen
your knowledge of ghazal by simplifying its process
in the form of lyrics and composition. Devroop will
also share anecdotes and the history of ghazal.
To register visit: bookmyshow.com
Podcast: The Horror Show by Khooni
Monday — Scary Stories in Hindi
It’s spooky time as The Horror Show unleashes
scary tales and takes you on a goosebumpsinducing eerie ride. This scarefest brings to you
stories about spine-chilling legends, creepy bhoots
and chudails, and some of the most haunted places
across the globe. If you get an adrenaline rush by
listening to ghostly stuff, then this podcast is the
place to be.
Where to listen: Spotify
Documentary: The Mystery of Marilyn
Monroe
Directed by Emma Cooper, this documentary
revolves around the life and untimely death of one
of the popular American actresses, Marilyn Monroe.
Through unseen interviews with some of her close
friends and archival footage, you get a deeper
insight into the diva’s life.
Where to watch: Netflix
Games: Indian Chess League
Chess lovers, assemble! Take your love for the
game to the competition level by playing against
amateurs and professionals at this online gaming
event. There are 10 players in a group and the
game is played throughout the month. Once you
choose the time slot, you can change it. Hence,
make the right choice before jumping into the
game. The winner gets a prize of Rs 10,000 and
the runners up get between Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000.
To register visit: insider.in
For advertising
in The Free Press Journal
Please contact
Mr. Manoj Jha on
093230 53271
To get physical copy of
The Free Press Journal
in Mumbai Contact
Mr. Ganesh Kadam on
093222 39910
This is our e-Paper version and not
a replica of Printed version of “The
Free Press Journal”.